Authors:
Sarah Speck
1
;
Cora Pauli
1
;
Cornelia Ursprung
1
;
Robert Huber
2
;
Katja Rießenberger
3
and
Sabina Misoch
1
Affiliations:
1
Institute for Ageing Research, University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland, Rosenbergstrasse 59, 9001 St.Gallen, Switzerland
;
2
Pappy GmbH, Flüelastrasse 6, 8048 Zurich, Switzerland
;
3
Bavarian Research Center for Digital Health and Social Care, Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Albert-Einstein-Straße 6, 87437 Kempten, Germany
Keyword(s):
Ageing, AI, Digital Divide, Digitalization, Older Adults, Smartphone Use, Smartphone Application.
Abstract:
Ageing and digitalization are two major developments of the 21st century. Particularly, smartphone ownership increased to about over 80 % globally. Meanwhile, smartphones also gained great popularity among older adults, nonetheless, many still show fear of contact. The multi-national project Easierphone aims at empowering older adults and other vulnerable persons to effectively use smartphones. A senior-friendly app, Easierphone, simplifies smartphones while replacing the common android interface with an easier-to-use one. In addition, the Easierphone app enables two smartphones to be connected remotely to facilitate virtual assistance. A participative design is applied to conduct tests with older adults in three different pilots, in three different countries. Semi-structured interviews, try-out of the app, individual follow-up discussions and co-creation workshops are conducted to collect data. The Easierphone app to date is received positively by potential end-users. Many of the di
verse functionalities of the app could be improved with feedback from test participants. The development process is an iterative one, in between each pilot, to achieve best possible adjustments to the app. The preliminary results indicate that fear of contact still prevails, nonetheless. The simplified interface seems to provide a basis for older adults to use their smartphones with more confidence.
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