Development of a Memory Aid Design Concept for Older Users

Abstract

This study was conducted to develop a design concept for an electronic memory device to enhance medication compliance in older users. The effort was supported by a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

A user-oriented approach was used to develop a design concept for a memory device for older users. One hundred seniors were interviewed to identify their physical, physiological and cognitive capabilities and limitations, as well as their preferences for memory aid functions. Specific design requirements were gathered from user testing of six currently available memory aids with 30 of the original 100 elderly subjects. The interview and user testing results were consolidated to provide the basis for tradeoff criteria for memory aid interface concepts, and for the development specifications for an optimal interface design for a memory aid designed specifically for the elderly user.

A design concept was developed for a medication device that would be easy to use, would reduce the likelihood of scheduling errors, and would be non-threatening to older users who might otherwise be intimidated by an electronic device. The Phase I effort focused on enhancing medication compliance, which is a priority issue with the senior population.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aging America: Trends and projections. US Department of Health and Human Services Publ. No.(FCOA) 91–28001. 1991

Ansello

E.F.

Lamy

P.P.

Gondek

(1990). Generational caregivers, pharmacists and medications: Their contributions to social and personality variables. Psychology and Aging, 30.

Czaja

S.J.

Clark

M. C.

Weber

R.A.

(1990). Computer communication among older adults. Proceedings of the 1990 Human Factors Society Annual Meeting. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors Society

Ernst

N.S.

(1984). Functional capacity. In. Mangen

D.J

Peterson

W.A.

(Eds.), Health, program evaluation, and demography Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press

Hollman

Frederick W.

(1990, March). United States population estimates by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin. Current Population Reports. Series P-25, No. 1057

Leirer

V.O.

Morrow

D.G.

Tanke

E.D.

Pariante

G.M.

(1991). Elders non-adherence: Its assessment and medication reminding by voice mail. The Gerontologist. 31 (4), 514–520

Middleton

Francesca

(1991). Computers for seniors. Resourceful Aging: Today and Tomorrow: Vol V. Lifelong Education (pp. 75–78). AARP. Washington, D.C.

Stuck

Andreas E.

Tamai

Irene Y.

(1991). Medication management in the home. Clinics in Geriatric Home Care, 7 (4), 733–48

Vanderheiden

G.C.

Vanderheiden

K.R.

(1991). Accessible design of consumer products. Guidelines for the design of consumer products to increase their accessibility to people with disabilities or who are aging. Preliminary/working draft. Trace R&D Center (p. 16). University of Wisconsin-Madison

10.

Ward

(1991). Increasing independence through technology: The views of older consumers with disabilities and their caregivers. Consumer Needs Assessment Project Year 3. Results of the Third Year of a Five Year Study. Electronic industries Foundation, Rehabilitation Engineering Center, Washington, D.C.