Abstract
In today’s healthcare environment, patients are increasingly expected to assume more responsibility in managing their health. As technology is becoming ubiquitous in healthcare, self-management of one’s health typically requires the patient to interact with a variety of technologies. These changes in the healthcare system are coupled with a rapid aging of the US population, resulting in a greater need for technologies to assist older adults in managing their health. However, age-related declines in cognitive abilities can impact the success with which older adults are able to use healthcare technologies. To be useful to and useable by older adults, technology must be compatible with the needs, preferences, and abilities of diverse older adult populations. This chapter provides an overview of aging, cognition, and technology systems, with a focus on the implications for use of healthcare technology and the capability of technology to support cognitive aging. We also discuss factors that influence the adoption of technology among older adults and provide a case study on the interdisciplinary collaboration necessary for successful technology development.
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Taha, J., Czaja, S.J. (2017). Aging, Cognition, and Technology Systems. In: Patel, V., Arocha, J., Ancker, J. (eds) Cognitive Informatics in Health and Biomedicine. Health Informatics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51732-2_12
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