Digital technology is transforming the ways we work, interact, access health and social services, and how we experience aging. Mobility in the digital world mirrors “real world mobility”; barriers to access services and programs can restrict older adults’ ability to age well and experience optimal social, physical, community, financial and digital mobility. As the pandemic has made clear, digital platforms presenting complex and conflicting information have impeded individuals’ ability to assess risk, and make informed and optimal decisions. Technologies — such as smart devices, the internet of things, wearables, remote monitoring, virtual care platforms, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics— can improve independence, quality of life and health outcomes. As increasingly powerful platforms are developed, we must consider how issues related to ethics, fairness, design, and data impact how older adults experience aging.
This session will be composed of three 15-minute presentations, followed by a discussion moderated by Audrey Patocs, Research Manager, McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA).
Participants will learn to:
- Define data poverty and identify approaches to improve representation in health data systems.
- Describe how wearable sensors can monitor and assess mobility, and identify potential issues in the development of current technology which limits their application to older adults.
- Understand the role of accessibility in engagement of older adults, and the importance of context in older adults’ engagement in digital literacy training.
WHEN: June 10, 2022 at 11:00 am to 12:30 pm ET
Presentations:
Equity in aging: Bridging the digital divide by ensuring representation in data-driven systems Cynthia Lokker, McMaster University
Technology for aging is still young Dylan Kobsar, McMaster University
Access and Adaptability: Learning from Community Based Literacy Projects for Older Adults Tara Larose, McMaster University