Aging in Place Technology Watch

Aging in Place Technology Watch is a great website that has information on "Industry Trends, Research & Analysis." The self-proclaimed content may sound a little dry, but once I started to dig into this website, I was hooked on much that author, Laurie Orlov, had to say.

In the January Newsletter, there's talk of the baby-boomers beginning to turn 65 and the effects of gaming on interpersonal communication and mental health (with some pros AND cons... how objective!).

Aging in Place Technology Watch January 2011 Newsletter

My favorite part of the newsletter was the observation that there is a distinct lack of continuity across every day devices. In my daily life I encounter my computer (Apple MacBook Pro), my cell phone (Motorola Droid), my iPod (Apple iPod Touch), and Netflix (via my Playstation 3). None of these devices have the same operating system, search engine, set of controls; for that matter, there's even variation between Netflix for a PC, TV, PS3, or Xbox. It's dizzying!

Communication, Technology and Aging

"To be able to design (communication technology) successfully, a major prerequisite is 'knowing the user.' The database for design-relevant characteristics of aging adults is showing signs of improvement." --From Communication, Technology and Aging

I like what I've read so far of this book. There's a preview of it available on Google Books (Communication, Technology, and Aging) that got me started. While I probably won't shell out for the entire text, I like the idea that this research is happening in such a focused way. While there's no doubt that communication, technology, and aging are all subjects of individual research, I'm glad to hear that the junction of the 3 topics is being considered as well.

Hello!

I'm Jolene, a Speech Language Pathology graduate student at Kent State University. I am looking forward to starting my career with adults in need of speech pathology services in January 2012. This blog may be helpful to recipients and providers of speech therapy, who are looking for more information about the role of technology in communication.

Whether you are faced with a communication altering disease or the natural aging process is preventing you from the richness of communication that you once had, there may be options for you. I'd like to focus on integrating helpful technology into the lives of people who didn't grow up using computers. Please join the discussion with questions- if you're wondering, someone else was too!

What you can expect: -"Who is a candidate?"
                                    -Easy to follow tutorials on different technologies
                                    -Links to helpful resources
                                    -Questions and Answers

Thanks for stopping by, come back soon :)