Research Line: Health@Home / Seed Call: i4PH October 2023

In the Netherlands, social isolation among the elderly is a growing concern, associated with adverse health outcomes and reduced quality of life. With advancements in technology, ICT applications offer promising avenues to tackle social isolation, particularly among the ‘new elderly’ (aged 65-75) who are increasingly digitally literate. However, existing interventions often fail to effectively engage with users’ existing social networks. Additionally, resistance to new technologies among some elderly individuals presents a barrier to adoption.

Objectives and Route to Impact

The primary objective is to understand the needs of the ‘new elderly’ for ICT applications targeting social isolation, paving the way for the development of effective interventions. The project’s findings will contribute to the design of future interventions and grant proposals aimed at addressing social isolation among the elderly population. Additionally, this project aims to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and advance knowledge in the field of technology-mediated social interventions.

Methods

This project employs a two-step needs assessment approach to explore the perspectives and needs of the ‘new elderly’ regarding ICT applications for reducing social isolation.

• Literature review: A systematic review will be conducted to analyze existing interventions and gain insights into their effectiveness and feasibility.
• Participatory design: Interactive focus group sessions will be held to understand users’ needs and preferences. basic prototypes will be co-developed and assessed by the target group.

Deliverables

• Needs assessment report: Findings from the literature review and participatory design sessions.
• Prototype development: Basic prototypes of ICT applications based on user feedback.
• Grant proposal: Proposal for a larger intervention-based study, building upon the evidence gathered in the needs assessment.

Contribution to Cross-EWUU Collaboration

This project brings together expertise from UU, WUR and UMCU such as computer science, public health, and media psychology to offer an interdisciplinary solution. The team’s diverse skill sets enable synergistic collaboration.

Project Team

• Dr. Callum Gunn – UMCU, Bioethics & Health Humanities, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care
• Dr. Kristina Thompson – WUR, Health & Society Chair Group, Social Sciences Department
• Dr. Hanna Hauptmann UU, Department of Information and Computing Sciences, Human Centred Computing Group
• Dr. Anouk de Regt – UU, Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, Utrecht University School of Economics