Everyday Challenges for Individuals Aging With Vision Impairment: Technology Implications

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Ophthalmology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Increasing prevalence of older adults with long-term vision impairment.
• Age-related changes exacerbate everyday activity challenges for this population.
• Technology offers potential solutions for supporting activity engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore everyday activity challenges faced by adults aging with long-term vision impairment.
• To identify unmet support needs for activity engagement in this demographic.
• To inform the development of effective technologies and interventions.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-method approach utilizing the Aging Concerns, Challenges, and Everyday Solution Strategies (ACCESS) study.
• In-depth, structured interviews with 60 adults aging with long-term vision impairment.
• Content analysis with deductive and inductive approaches to code challenges and needs.

Main Results:

• Detailed insights into challenges performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) such as home maintenance, transportation, shopping, and health management.
• Identified vision-related challenges and participation restrictions in activities requiring reading, navigation, and identification.
• Emergent themes included personal limitations (physical, cognitive, financial) and environmental barriers (accessibility, technology, transportation).

Conclusions:

• Contextual understanding of IADL challenges is vital for individuals aging with vision impairment.
• Highlights opportunities for technology design and innovation to enhance participation in everyday activities.
• Emphasizes the need for tailored support to address specific challenges and environmental barriers.