Gerontechnology

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Gerontechnology is an interdisciplinary academic and professional field combining gerontology and technology. Sustainability of an ageing society depends upon our effectiveness in creating technological environments, including assistive technology and inclusive design, for innovative and independent living and social participation of older adults in good health, comfort and safety. In short, gerontechnology concerns matching technological environments to health, housing, mobility, communication, leisure and work of older people. Research outcomes form the basis for designers, builders, engineers, manufacturers, and those in the health professions (nursing, medicine, gerontology, geriatrics, environmental psychology, developmental psychology, etc.), to provide an optimum living environment for the widest range of ages.

Gerontechnology is considered an adjunct to the promotion of human health and well-being. It pertains both to human development and ageing and aims at compressing morbidity and increasing vitality in the life-span and quality of life. It creates solutions to extend the working phase in society by maximizing the vital and productive years in the life span, consequently reducing cost of care in later life.

The overall framework of gerontechnology may be seen as a matrix of domains of human activity: health & self-esteem, housing & activities of daily living, communication & governance, mobility & transport, work & leisure, and technology interventions or impact levels (enhancement & satisfaction, prevention & engagement, compensation & assistance, care and care organisation). Underpinning all these elements are generic and applied evidence-based research. Such research supports the development of products and services.

Gerontechnology has much in common with other interdisciplinary domains, such as Assistive Technology (for the compensation & assistance and the care support & care organisation rows of the matrix), and Universal Design for the development of all products and services pertaining to gerontechnology.