Page 21 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2021. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
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ited lecture plenarna predavanja | plenary lectures
Attitudes towards smart technologies among older people
and their informal carers in Slovenia
Simona Hvalic-Touzery, Vesna Dolničar
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Social Informatics,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Introduction: Despite the growing body of evidence of smart solutions’ positive
outcomes on older people and their informal carers, the use of these solutions
is still low, even more so in Slovenia. In recent years, mostly single smart solu-
tions have been developed, covering only a small range of applications. The in-
ternational project i-evAALution evaluated the acceptance and the impact of
the bundle of several single solutions on community-dwelling older people and
their informal carers. We present the preliminary results of only one segment
of the whole study focusing on the results of a baseline questionnaire conduct-
ed in Slovenia.
Methods: The randomised control trial was conducted in 2019-2021 in the Cen-
tral Slovenia region. A total of 55 dyads, including older care recipients (PE) and
their primary informal carers (SE), were recruited and completed the base-
line questionnaire. PE were on average 78.6 years old (SD = 7.79) and 43.6
% had fallen in the past year. SE were on average 52.8 years old (SD = 11.58).
The majority (71 %) of SE were the children of the PE. Participants complet-
ed questionnaires at three or four measurement time points: at baseline (be-
fore randomisation to test or control group), post-installation (test group on-
ly), after 4-5 months (both groups), and after 12 months (control group only).
Data were processed using the statistical package SPSS 20.0. Results: We ob-
served a significant difference in technology competence between care recipi-
ents and carers (MPE = 2.63, MSE = 2.12, p = 0.000) and the interest in tech-
nology (MPE = 3.12, MSE = 3.70, p = 0.004). In addition, the most important
features of a tested i-evAALution bundle recognised by both carers and care
recipients were safety (MPE = 4.32, MSE = 4.46), emergency services (MPE =
4.17, MSE = 4.41) and technical services (MPE = 4.17, MSE = 4.36). The least im-
portant feature was leisure activities (MPE = 1.98, MSE = 2.35).
Discussion and conclusions: This study contributes to a limited empirical evi-
dence on the acceptance and attitudes of older people and their informal car-
ers in Slovenia towards smart solutions in health and social care. Understand-
ing their perceptions of technology and needs can also help the developers of
such solutions, as well as the providers in the market, and support better de-
ployment of such smart solutions in health and social care.
Keywords: assistive technologies, technology acceptance, technology attitudes,
randomised control trial
19
Attitudes towards smart technologies among older people
and their informal carers in Slovenia
Simona Hvalic-Touzery, Vesna Dolničar
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Social Informatics,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Introduction: Despite the growing body of evidence of smart solutions’ positive
outcomes on older people and their informal carers, the use of these solutions
is still low, even more so in Slovenia. In recent years, mostly single smart solu-
tions have been developed, covering only a small range of applications. The in-
ternational project i-evAALution evaluated the acceptance and the impact of
the bundle of several single solutions on community-dwelling older people and
their informal carers. We present the preliminary results of only one segment
of the whole study focusing on the results of a baseline questionnaire conduct-
ed in Slovenia.
Methods: The randomised control trial was conducted in 2019-2021 in the Cen-
tral Slovenia region. A total of 55 dyads, including older care recipients (PE) and
their primary informal carers (SE), were recruited and completed the base-
line questionnaire. PE were on average 78.6 years old (SD = 7.79) and 43.6
% had fallen in the past year. SE were on average 52.8 years old (SD = 11.58).
The majority (71 %) of SE were the children of the PE. Participants complet-
ed questionnaires at three or four measurement time points: at baseline (be-
fore randomisation to test or control group), post-installation (test group on-
ly), after 4-5 months (both groups), and after 12 months (control group only).
Data were processed using the statistical package SPSS 20.0. Results: We ob-
served a significant difference in technology competence between care recipi-
ents and carers (MPE = 2.63, MSE = 2.12, p = 0.000) and the interest in tech-
nology (MPE = 3.12, MSE = 3.70, p = 0.004). In addition, the most important
features of a tested i-evAALution bundle recognised by both carers and care
recipients were safety (MPE = 4.32, MSE = 4.46), emergency services (MPE =
4.17, MSE = 4.41) and technical services (MPE = 4.17, MSE = 4.36). The least im-
portant feature was leisure activities (MPE = 1.98, MSE = 2.35).
Discussion and conclusions: This study contributes to a limited empirical evi-
dence on the acceptance and attitudes of older people and their informal car-
ers in Slovenia towards smart solutions in health and social care. Understand-
ing their perceptions of technology and needs can also help the developers of
such solutions, as well as the providers in the market, and support better de-
ployment of such smart solutions in health and social care.
Keywords: assistive technologies, technology acceptance, technology attitudes,
randomised control trial
19
