Residents’ Perception of The Use of Smart-Home Technologies in a Retirement Community

Abstract

Purpose: Even though the use of smart-home technology can improve the quality of life of older adults, in the past, older adults had ambivalent attitudes regarding the use of technology. However, the pandemic has been a catalyst for use of technology. For many people, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced individuals to change habits and increase their trust in technology. This is an opportunity for older adults in general, but long-term care communities can take advantage of this and adapt their living spaces with assistive technologies.  Smart home technology includes automation, social connectivity, activity, and health monitoring, among others.  The use of smart home technology will benefit not only older adults’ quality of life, but also it may reduce costs and improve the quality of care within long-term facilities. Therefore, this case study explored the perception of residents living in a retirement community regarding the use of a portal that integrated smart-home technology. Method: Qualitative data were collected through a survey and semi-structured interviews with nine residents. They were living in smart-cottages that had a responsive platform (portal). The portal allowed older adults to control domestic devices and appliances, and communicate with some areas of the retirement community using a tablet. Results and Discussion: The findings indicated that the portal was a supportive tool for the residents. They considered it as a protected interface that they could trust. Older adults felt a strong sense of being cared for because if something went wrong with home services (such as the furnace, air conditioner, or lights), maintenance was notified automatically through the portal. Also, the motion sensors notified the nursing staff if residents fell or if they stayed in bed too long. A resident said, “They keep track. To make sure we are alive”.  Residents could review and schedule services directly in the portal without contacting staff. Older adults chose what services they wanted to use. Some of them used the portal for communication with family members, but not with other residents because they preferred face-to-face communication. Residents associated the portal with safety, care, and support from the facility.

The use of smart home technologies in retirement communities is perceived as a high-quality service by the residents. It increases technology literacy and improves residents’ quality of life. Furthermore, the use of technology can save energy and reduce costs to the retirement community, increase customer satisfaction, and it can be a potential solution to the shortage of professionals in the aging field. Finally, the use of smart-home technologies can help residents to age in their cottages (aging in place) without moving to sections of the community that require higher level of care such as assisted living or nursing homes.