Social needs are important basic human needs; when not satisfied, loneliness and social isolation can occur and subsequently sickness or even premature death. For older people social needs can be more difficult to satisfy because of the loss of resources such as health and mobility. Interventions for older people to satisfy social needs are often not evaluated and when evaluated are not proven successful. Technological interventions can be successful, but the relationship between technology and social wellbeing is complex and more research in this area is needed. The aim of this research is to uncover design opportunities for technological interventions to fulfil social needs of older people. Context-mapping sessions are a way to gain more insight into the social needs of older people and to involve them in the design of interventions to fulfil social needs. Participants of the context-mapping sessions were older people and social workers working with older people. Four sessions with a total of 20 participants were held to generate ideas for interventions to satisfy social needs. The results are transcripts from the discussion parts of the context-mapping sessions and collages the participants created. The transcripts were independently analysed and inductive codes were attached to quotations in the transcripts that are relevant to the research question and subsequently thematic analysis took place. Collages made by the participants were independently analysed by the researchers and after discussion consensus was reached about important themes. The following three main themes emerged: ‘connectedness’, ‘independence’ and ‘meaningfulness’. Technology was not identified as a separate theme, but was addressed in relation to the above mentioned themes. Staying active in a meaningful way, for example by engaging in volunteer work, may fulfil the three needs of being connected, independent and meaningful. In addition, interventions can also focus on the need to be and remain independent and to deal with becoming more dependent. The older people in our study have an ambivalent attitude towards technology, which needs to be taken into account when designing an intervention. We conclude this paper by making recommendations for possible technological interventions to fulfil social needs.
Social needs are important basic human needs; when not satisfied, loneliness and social isolation can occur and subsequently sickness or even premature death. For older people social needs can be more difficult to satisfy because of the loss of resources such as health and mobility. Interventions for older people to satisfy social needs are often not evaluated and when evaluated are not proven successful. Technological interventions can be successful, but the relationship between technology and social wellbeing is complex and more research in this area is needed. The aim of this research is to uncover design opportunities for technological interventions to fulfil social needs of older people. Context-mapping sessions are a way to gain more insight into the social needs of older people and to involve them in the design of interventions to fulfil social needs. Participants of the context-mapping sessions were older people and social workers working with older people. Four sessions with a total of 20 participants were held to generate ideas for interventions to satisfy social needs. The results are transcripts from the discussion parts of the context-mapping sessions and collages the participants created. The transcripts were independently analysed and inductive codes were attached to quotations in the transcripts that are relevant to the research question and subsequently thematic analysis took place. Collages made by the participants were independently analysed by the researchers and after discussion consensus was reached about important themes. The following three main themes emerged: ‘connectedness’, ‘independence’ and ‘meaningfulness’. Technology was not identified as a separate theme, but was addressed in relation to the above mentioned themes. Staying active in a meaningful way, for example by engaging in volunteer work, may fulfil the three needs of being connected, independent and meaningful. In addition, interventions can also focus on the need to be and remain independent and to deal with becoming more dependent. The older people in our study have an ambivalent attitude towards technology, which needs to be taken into account when designing an intervention. We conclude this paper by making recommendations for possible technological interventions to fulfil social needs.
Symbiotic Urban Agriculture Networks (SUANs) are a specific class of symbiotic networks that intend to close material and energy loops from cities and urban agriculture. Private and public stakeholders in SUANs face difficulties in the implementation of technological and organisational design interventions due to the complex nature of the agricultural and urban environment. Current research on the dynamics of symbiotic networks, especially Industrial Symbiosis (IS), is based on historical data from practice, and provides only partly for an understanding of symbiotic networks as a sociotechnical complex adaptive system. By adding theory and methodology from Design Science, participatory methods, and by using agent-based modelling as a tool, prescriptive knowledge is developed in the form of grounded and tested design rules for SUANs. In this paper, we propose a conceptual Design Science method with the aim to develop an empirically validated participatory agent-based modelling strategy that guides sociotechnical design interventions in SUANs. In addition, we present a research agenda for further strategy, design intervention, and model development through case studies regarding SUANs. The research agenda complements the existing analytical work by adding a necessary Design Science approach, which contributes to bridging the gap between IS dynamics theory and practical complex design issues.
Het probleem dat deze projectaanvraag adresseert is de hoge werkdruk van zorgprofessionals in de dementiezorg. Door een stijging in het aantal ouderen met dementie, stijgt de zorgvraag, terwijl het tekort aan zorgprofessionals groeit. Door de inzet van slimme technologische innovaties zoals een Intelligente Zorgomgeving kan deze werkdruk sterk verminderd worden. Een Intelligente Zorgomgeving maakt gebruik van sensortechnieken en gebruikt Artificiële Intelligentie (AI) om gepersonaliseerde zorg te leveren door de zorgbehoefte in kaart te brengen en daarop te reageren. De Intelligente Zorgomgeving werkt daarbij samen met de zorgprofessional. Deze oplossingsrichting wordt in dit project verder uitgewerkt samen met vier zorgpartijen en drie innovatieve MKB. Aan de hand van de casus “Ondersteuning bij eten en drinken” worden Just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAI) ontwikkeld zodat de zorgprofessional de zorgprofessional ondersteund wordt in het uitvoeren van bepaalde zorgtaken. Een voorbeeld van een interventie is het op het juiste moment geven van op de persoon aangepaste zintuigelijke prikkels (geluiden, lichten en projecties) die senioren stimuleren om te eten. Door dergelijke interventies wordt de druk op de zorgprofessional verminderd en neemt de kwaliteit van de zorg toe. Niet alleen de integratie van de AI-modules is van belang maar ook hoe de AI ‘getoond’ wordt aan de zorgprofessional. Daarom wordt er in dit project ook extra aandacht besteed aan de interactie tussen zorgprofessional en de Intelligente Zorgomgeving waardoor het gebruiksgemak wordt verhoogd en zowel cliënt als zorgprofessional een hogere mate van autonomie kunnen ervaren. Door het prototype van de Intelligente Zorgomgeving verder te ontwikkelen in zorginstellingen in samenwerking met verschillende zorgprofessionals en aandacht te besteden aan het ontwikkelen van AI en Interactie met het systeem kunnen de wensen en behoeften van de zorgprofessionals worden geïntegreerd in de Intelligente Zorgomgeving. Dit gebeurt in drie iteraties waarbij de drie opeenvolgende beschikbare living labs in toenemende mate complex en realistisch zijn.
