Exploring Future Personalization Opportunities in Technologies used by Older Adults with Mild to Moderate Dementia

Abstract

Technologies for aging are a growing market. These technologies have significant potential to support individuals whose cognitive changes can make everyday activities challenging. However, the adoption and use of these technologies by people with dementia (PwD) remain poor, indicating potential accessibility and usability issues. Such barriers limit PwD’s ability to contribute to the digital economy and fully engage with society. Personalization, which aligns technology with someone’s unique needs and preferences, may address these issues. We used mixed methods with ten people with mild to moderate dementia to explore how previous ways to personalize (i.e., Windows OS built-in features and settings) and newer personalization applications (i.e., Morphic) might reveal future opportunities for personalization features in technology for aging. This study contributes fifteen design considerations, which, if implemented, may increase the involvement of PwD in the digital economy and society.