Leveraging Familiarity with Television to Enrich Older Adults' Engagement and Wellbeing: A Feasibility Study Using Video Probes

2025-09-19

AI Summary

Accelerating population aging and the nuclearization of household structures in India have led to a surge in older adults living alone, yet their limited digital literacy impedes adoption of smart health and safety technologies. Method: This study proposes a “TV-as-a-Platform” paradigm, leveraging video probes and participatory design to transform conventional television into an inclusive, voice- and gesture-enabled interface supporting social connection, health reminders, and home safety. A lightweight TV application prototype was developed and evaluated through semi-structured interviews with older adults to assess usability, needs, and acceptance. Contribution/Results: Adapting digital well-being tools to a familiar, low-threshold medium significantly enhanced trust and willingness to use among older adults with low digital literacy. The approach demonstrates tangible potential to preserve autonomy, strengthen perceived safety, and improve subjective well-being. This work contributes a replicable methodology and empirical evidence for inclusive technology design targeting digitally underserved older populations.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices
• Intelligent Robots: Human-Robot Interaction
• Application Domains: Internet of Things, Sensor Networks & Smart Cities

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Data and user privacy-enhancing technologies for the Web
• Security and Privacy: Privacy-enhancing technologies
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health

Abstract

The shift away from multigenerational families to nuclear families in India has created a growing need to support older adults living independently. While technology can help address this gap, older adults' limited exposure to newer technology restricts the adoption of such solutions. However, they remain comfortable with long-standing technologies like television (TV). This study explores their daily technology usage and challenges, aiming to determine whether TV can be leveraged to improve their quality of life. We examined how TV systems could be enhanced to assist older adults with tasks such as staying connected, receiving health alerts, and ensuring security. Using a participatory design approach, we developed video probes using the prototype of the TV-based application and interviewed 27 older adults to assess its acceptance and usability. Our findings demonstrate older adults' strong interest in a TV-based solution and a preference for familiar technology to support security, independence, and wellbeing.

Problem

• Exploring TV-based solutions to support independent older adults
• Addressing technology adoption barriers through familiar television interfaces
• Enhancing wellbeing via TV for connectivity, health alerts, and security

Innovation

• Leveraging TV familiarity for elderly engagement
• Using participatory design with video probes
• Developing TV-based application for wellbeing