2024 Vol.3
ICT Applications and Smart Elderly Care
Geographic Gerontology Research in China: Towards an Age-friendly Society
Abstract: In this special era of rapid aging, socio-economic transformation, and urban-rural spatial reconstruction, the need for interdisciplinary studies of geography, sociology, and gerontology become urgent, and geographic gerontology research is attracting extensive research attention. At present, geographic research on aging mainly concentrates on the spatio-temporal patterns and determinants of population aging, the spatial effects of population aging, the relationship between older people's health and environment, the spatial behaviors of older adults, and the planning for elder healthcare services. Although these studies have provided useful insights for understanding and coping with the challenges of an aging society, some basic concepts still need to be clarified to meet the needs of "age-friendly society" in practice. In particular, it is necessary to distinguish the particular characteristics of older people's demands from other populations. This paper presents research in line with this within a regional system composed of the relationships of people, society, and environments in the context of aging, and tries to broaden the perspectives of geographic gerontology research.
Research on Evolution of Elderly Care Circle and Functional Space Configuration of Community Elderly Service Facilities Assisted by ICT
Abstract: Population aging is China's basic national condition. As the "421" family structure has become the mainstream trend, the number of elderly living alone has increased. According to the latest data, nearly 97% of the elderly in China prefer family-based and community-based care services. How to reduce the loneliness of the elderly and guide them to integrate into the community and socialize with others, and create a community elderly care environment that is safe, inclusive and meets their needs is the key. The continuous integration and development of ICT and urban construction has gradually introduced this technology into the field of health care. The ICT-assisted elderly care in this article refers to "smart elderly care" equipment and systems. The new form of community and home-based elderly care models can break the distance barrier to take care of the elderly, and provide as much protection as possible for their life and travel. Through investigation of the elderly using ICT equipment in a community elderly service center in Shenyang, this paper explores improvements in the elderly care circle and community elderly service facilities with ICT, and puts forward feasible methods to save labor costs and improve the efficiency of maintenance, to promote the development of China's "Internet+" elderly care and health industry.
The Formation Mechanism and Planning Strategy of the "Digital Divide" of Home Care Services under ICT Applications: A Case Study of the Downtown Area of Fuzhou City
Abstract: Chinese society is at a crucial period where aging and informationization intertwine. Studying the formation mechanism and planning countermeasures of the "digital divide" issue in the process of urban elderly accessing home care services under ICT application is of great significance for the intelligent upgrade of elderly-friendly communities and the age-friendly design of smart communities. Taking the central urban area of Fuzhou as an example, regression analysis and other methods are used to analyze the informationization levels of different types of elderly individuals, compare their willingness and ability to use different types of ICT smart home care services, and further explore the influencing factors, causes, and occurrence scenarios of the "digital divide" in ICT smart home care services. Based on this, combined with the current situation of the construction of home-based pension service facilities in Fuzhou, this paper puts forward the functional organization and spatial allocation strategy of the community information center. It is expected to provide references for bridging the "digital divide" and improving the matching level of supply and demand of intelligent old-age services for the elderly in the city.
Smart Community's Aging Friendly Response Models and Integrated Development Strategy from the Perspective of Technology-Space
Abstract: The community is the "last mile" of a smart city, and it is also an age-friendly space with home-based elderly care as the main mode. In recent years, the smart community has responded to the deepening aging trend in a variety of ways, as its technical system and functions have been continuously expanded. This paper combs the response mode of smart communities for the elderly, and divides them into four categories: community service upgrading, information platform empowerment, smart place construction, and digital home. In this paper, the characteristics and cases of four types of aging response modes are analyzed, and the development strategies of smart communities are proposed under the framework of technology-space coupling. The deep integration of the application of smart technology and the improvement of the community space environment for the elderly can optimize the scene system and better match the digital technology capabilities to the elderly' needs. Thus, smart communities could be able to realize the dynamic evolution to age-friendly smart communities.
Investigation and Study on the Demand for Smart Home-based Elderly Care among Middle-aged and Older Adults under Different Living Arrangements
Abstract: This study systematically examines the interconnectedness of "smart home care needs" among elderly populations across different living arrangements, delineating six core dimensions for assessing these needs: personalized leisure and entertainment, comprehensive caregiving assistance, all-round health monitoring, stringent privacy protection, user-friendly interface design, and smart network connectivity empowerment. Comparative analyses are conducted to discern variations in these six core needs among elders with distinct characteristics and living situations. Augmenting these findings, user interviews and case studies further elucidate the congruence between function configurations of smart eldercare products and actual user requirements, as well as unveil underlying latent needs. Based on these insights, the paper proposes strategic recommendations pertaining to functional design, spatial organization, and inter-action patterns, aiming to cater to the diverse and individualized smart home care needs of the elderly across various demographic profiles and living contexts. These propositions offer theoretical foundations for shaping lifestyle models within the context of "aging in place" amid rapid technological advancements, thereby enhancing and safeguarding the quality of life for the elderly population.
The Impact of Remote Monitoring Devices on the Health of Older Adults with Different Living Arrangements: An Analysis Based on the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey
Abstract: Remote monitoring devices can provide remote assistance for the care of older adults by monitoring their vital signs, environment, or needs. Based on two sets of data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) in 2018 and 2020, this study analyzes questionnaire results from 4 503 older adults. Using an individual fixed effects model and three types of living arrangements among older adults - living alone, living with a spouse, and multi-generational cohabitation - as moderators, the study explores the impact of four common types of remote monitoring devices - smart wristbands/watches, home surveillance cameras, smart screens/speakers, and smart sleep monitors - on the health levels of urban older adults. The results show that using at least one type of device could significantly improve the health levels of older adults. This improvement effect is particularly significant among those who live alone, and there are also differences in the effects of different devices. The study reveals heterogeneity in the health benefits of remote monitoring devices for older adults based on their living arrangements and provides empirical evidence for research and practice in smart aging care.
Research on Current Situation and Proper Deployment of Community Elderly Care Service Facilities under Chain Operation: A Case Study of Representative Clusters in Beijing Core Area
Abstract: China has technically become a moderately aging society by the end of 2021. Community elderly care service facilities serve as the foundation of elderly care. Therefore, the proper deployment of such facilities guarantees the satisfaction of service demand from the aged people. This paper takes representative community elderly care service station clusters under chain operation in core areas of the capital city as the research object. It conducts surveys and analysis about the layout and scale of stations, service options and service quantity, patterns of service offered, staff arrangement and practical use of spaces and existing problems therein, and then gives suggestions on the planning and layout of community elderly care service stations as well as the proper deployment of functions and spaces according to the scale, in a hope to offer references for optimized design of community elderly care service stations.