Tailoring to support digital technology-mediated occupational engagement for older adults - a multiple case study

Area of Science:

• Occupational therapy
• Digital health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Digital technologies (DTs) are transforming contemporary occupations.
• There is a growing need for occupational therapists to support older adults' engagement in a digitalized society.
• Existing knowledge requires structuring to address DT-mediated occupations for seniors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and schematize tailoring strategies for supporting older adults' engagement in DT-mediated occupations.
• To develop a framework for occupational therapists to guide interventions.
• To enhance social participation among older adults using digital tools.

Main Methods:

• Multiple case study methodology involving nine cases of older adults.
• Collaborative processes initiated through questionnaires, observations, and dialogues.
• Data collection via fieldnotes, memos, and semi-structured interviews, analyzed through cross-case synthesis.

Main Results:

• A proposed scheme for tailoring interventions was developed.
• Synthesized strategies effectively support older adults' engagement in DT-mediated occupations.
• The scheme describes practical approaches for therapists.

Conclusions:

• The proposed scheme enhances occupational therapists' knowledge base for supporting older adults in contemporary occupations.
• This framework can improve occupational therapy practice in digitalized environments.
• Further testing in diverse practice settings is recommended to refine the model.