An ethic-of-empowerment: e-health and healthy ageing Anita Melander Wikman, PhD, Ass.professor Luleå University of Technology
Dec 23, 2015
An ethic-of-empowerment: e-health and healthy ageing
Anita Melander Wikman, PhD, Ass.professor Luleå University of Technology
What methodolgy can be used to create an-ethic-of-empowerment?
Research questions for an ethic-of-empowerment
What methodology can be used to develop products and services which:
help facilitate a more active role in health care and rehabilitation
sustain autonomous living enable older people to become fully active
participants in healthcare and rehabilitation programs
All in cooperation with relevant organisations.
Research contextEIC- E-health and Innovation Centre, LTU
• Development and research for Innovative Systems and Services that enable people to remain at home longer while ensuring a high quality of life.
MyHealth@Age (2008-2010) Project
1.Partners
2. Research persons
3. Findings
4. Research design and methodology
Research - Healthcare & welfare, ICT and Market• Luleå University of Technology• Norwegian Centre of Telemedicine• University of Ulster, Northern
Ireland
Fieldtrial• Pensioners organizations• Municipality of Boden and Luleå• County Council of Norrbotten• Municipality of Tromsö• Southern Health & Care Trust,
Ulster
• Blue Tree Services• McElwaine SMART Technologies• Swarm teams• Tieto• Arctic Group• IntelliWork• Nelilab
Market
End-UserNeed Technology
Participatory and Appreciative Action and Reflection Research (PAAR)
FormITLiving Lab
Older persons and Health and
Welfare staff
Research persons in the Swedish part of MH@A
3 older persons with experience of e-health projects
3 older persons from pensioners org.
7 older persons with functional limitations from e.g. stroke, heart disease, Parkinson.
Anita Melander Wikman; Alec 2012
The MyHealth@Age services
A mobile phone with three functionalities;
1. Safety alarm with locator and fall sensor
2. Prescribed care functionality
3. A functionality to stimulate social interaction and social networking
START
START
START
LARM
STÄNG
STATUS
Findings from the old persons’ perspective
• Safety and freedom of mobility was the most important need.
• They learned more about their own health• The system was motivational in being
active• The communication and interaction with
PT and GP was more easy
The design process was collaborative with space, voice and participation
Motivational factors:
• The older persons had an interest to better understand the technologies of today and tomorrow
• They wanted to contribute as best they could for the god of older people in general.
Methodology
A Model for Reflective Participatory Design (RPD)• Participatory and Appreciative Action Research
(PAAR)• FormIT
Forthcoming publication:Bergvall-Kåreborn, B., Melander Wikman, A. & Ghaye, G. (2012) The importance of space, participation and voice when designing systems with users. Health Informatics Journal
Participatory and Appreciative Reflection and Action
Understand• …..the best of what is
Imagine•…..what can be
Create• …what will be
PAAR's- 3 goals
FormIT - Three design cycles
• Exploring needs and identifying dreams and visions together with older persons
• Concept and prototype design• Assessment of the system in use and
evaluation of the whole process
Anita Melander Wikman; Alec 2012
A model for reflective participatory design (the RPD model) Bergvall Kåreborn, Melander Wikman & Ghaye
Anita Melander Wikman; Alec 2012
Reflective Participatory Design (RPD)
• The older participants were real participants in almost all work-packages (not management)
• Participants in application writing• Access to information via e-mail• Needfinding – conceptbuilding – system
requirements - prototyp testing
Conclusion
• ‘Opening up’, ‘widening’, or ‘broadening’ opportunities for elderly people to authentically engage in decisions about their health and care.
• Sometimes space for manoeuvre are limited by project deadlines and budgetary controls.
• An image of people coming together, to discuss, plan, question, reflect and make decisions is important
Participation
• The intention is to go beyond the practice of consultation
• Participation is to be more than the taking up of invitations to ‘be involved’
• Participation has to be learned, especially when (or if) those involved are used to being excluded.
CREATING ETHICAL SPACES FOR OLDER PEOPLE
• Explaining the ‘rules of the game’• Positioning older people in project design
forums • Agreeing relationships and responsibilities• Physical space – where to meet• The power of the words we use