Development of a Shopping Service System for the Elderly Using the Nextinfo® Phone Service System

Abstract

The aim of this research and development project was to develop a telematic application of an automatic phone shopping service system for the elderly. During a two-week field test, twenty-six clients of the social and health care department of the City of Oulu (mean age 78) used the phone service system at home to order their daily groceries. Technically, the phone service system was good. 67% of the elderly evaluated themselves as capable of using the system independently. Some of the elderly said that they would not be able to use the system independently, and some felt they would need more practice to use it, while the others had problems to use the system because of the health reasons, such as post-stroke condition.