As the proportion of older people increases globally, an emphasis on active ageing at home is given increasing value as a potential strategy. Considering the healthcare needs of older people, technology-enabled care at home is increasingly being viewed as a realistic solution to help achieve this, with the increasing use of smart technology to support elderly healthcare.

This paper applies assemblage thinking to technology-enabled homes of older people. Assemblage thinking allows reflection on the home as not only a physical space, but also as a conflation of decisions, perceptions and influences – which may not always occur within the physical space conventionally called home – that affect the experience of home. The paper will ultimately highlight the impact that older people and their technology have on each other and on the experience of home.

The paper will apply qualitative tools such as home tours, interviews, and images to enable older people to articulate their reflections on home around the use of technology for healthcare. The empirical focus will be Scotland in the UK. The findings are intended to shed light on the complexity of ‘home’, especially for older people, and to highlight some key theoretical as well as practical aspects of these important ideas to be considered when promoting active ageing at home.

Authors:
Ruhamah Thejus, University of St. Andrews, United Kingdom

About the Presenter(s)
Ms RUHAMAH THEJUS is a University Doctoral Student at University of St. Andrews in United Kingdom

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