Aging and technology in medical care: using the example of patient controllers in deep brain stimulation

Deep brain stimulation is a neurosurgical therapy for patients with advanced movement disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease). This therapy involves the use of a patient controller for home-use. So far, there are four different patient controllers available on the European market. However, use and acceptance of the patient controller is relatively low. The main end-user group is patients above the age of 60 years. This article compares the design of the different interfaces, with a special focus on gerotechnological aspects (display, acoustic signals, coloring, lettering, cognitive load and haptics). We suggest strategies to optimize the use and acceptance of these devices, which have already entered the market. Moreover, future directions of deep brain stimulation and the usability of patient controllers are discussed.