Social Technology: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Improving Care for Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Technology and Innovation

Background:

• Global population aging presents significant challenges for care delivery.
• Increasing societal burden associated with chronic conditions and frailty in older adults.
• Growing demand for innovative solutions to support aging societies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a social technology approach for integrating technology and social systems.
• To assist individuals, families, and communities in managing care for older adults with disabilities.
• To address the challenges of population aging and technology development in care.

Main Methods:

• Fostering multidisciplinary collaboration (social scientists, engineers, healthcare experts).
• Incorporating ethical and humanistic standards in innovation development and evaluation.
• Engaging with care service providers, managers, and designers to improve social systems.
• Conducting social policy research and innovation, focusing on social justice and disadvantaged groups.
• Developing age-friendly and intergenerational programs for social integration.
• Identifying and generalizing best practices for global benefit.

Main Results:

• The social technology approach offers a framework for innovation in elder care.
• It emphasizes collaboration, ethical considerations, and systemic improvements.
• The approach aims to promote social justice and global benefit through best practices.

Conclusions:

• Social technology requires systematic, iterative evaluation for local relevance.
• Linking technological interventions with social and cultural systems is crucial.
• Technological advances can become an organic part of elder care support systems.