Smart home technology to support older people's quality of life: A longitudinal pilot study

Abstract

Aim: This pilot study aimed to explore the impact of Smart Home technology to support older people's quality of life, particularly for those who live alone.

Background: There has been an increased interest in using innovative technologies and artificial intelligence to enable Smart Home technology to support older people to age independently in their own homes.

Methods: This study used a pre-and post-test design. The seven item Personal Wellbeing Index was used to measure participants' subjective quality of life across seven quality of life domains. Participants (n = 60) aged between 68 and 90 years (M = 80.10, SD = 5.56) completed a 12-week personalised Smart Home technology program.

Results: Approximately half of the participants lived alone (48.3%). Participants' quality of life significantly increased (p = 0.010) after Smart Home use. Two domains, "achieving in life" (p = 0.026) and "future security" (p = 0.004), were also significantly improved after participating in the Smart Home technology program. Improvements in quality of life did not vary as a function of living arrangement (all ps > .152, all ${\eta }_p^2$ > .00).

Conclusion: The current study provides preliminary evidence for the role of Smart Home technology in supporting older people's quality of life, particularly their sense of achieving in life and future security.

Keywords: automation; caregivers; independent living; older people; quality of life; smart home.