Rethinking social innovations for active and healthy ageing within ICT research and innovation programs in Europe: beyond health, more older people-centric, and technology adoption

Abstract

By drawing upon slightly more than a decade of research in the field of Human-Computer Interaction / ICT & Ageing, conducted by the authors in adult educational centres and computer clubhouses in European and South American countries, this paper discusses two lessons we have learned regarding Social Innovation for Active and Healthy Ageing from the viewpoint of ICT. Firstly, we argue that the central role of health in ICT Research and Innovation programs in Europe has reached a stage where a rethink of the linkage between these programs and the everyday lives of older people is needed. Health is a very important issue. Yet, we should also recognize that exemplary sociotechnical innovations in ICT & Ageing (e.g., assistive domotics) might be seen as an alien invasion into the lives of many older people, especially those with good health, active and social lives. To strengthen the connection between sociotechnical innovations and older people, it is important not to constrain their participation in research activities designed to fit into ICT Research and Innovation programs defined by institutions. We discuss how we addressed these two perspectives (older people vs. institution-centric) in two international R&D projects, one of them funded by the EU. Secondly, we address the important issue of measuring the impact of the results of ICT Research and Innovation activities on active / healthy ageing. We argue that the traditional focus on evaluating the technological intervention (i.e., effect of ICT use / non-use on a specific variable) is limited and can yield misleading results, since sociotechnical innovations are complex, and their (lack of) impact on the perceived well-being of older people tends to manifest itself in the process of incorporating the innovation into their lives. We argue for shifting attention onto technology adoption and show how we did so in our research.