Best Buy, 杏吧原创, Bruy猫re work on aging at home
Coverage of SAM3 by Canadian Healthcare Technology
Best Buy Health, the Bruy猫re Research Institute, and AGE-WELL are partnering on new research into how technology is introduced into the home to support aging in place, in collaboration with experts from 杏吧原创 University. Researchers from Bruy猫re and 杏吧原创鈥檚 Faculty of Engineering and Design will be working with occupational therapists (OTs) to better understand how consumer technology, such as Best Buy鈥檚 Healthy Homes bundles, can be used to improve quality of life for older adults aging at home.
With more and more consumer technology solutions available, researchers are looking to see how that technology is adopted and implemented in the homes of older adults. Occupational therapists (OT) are a central part of this research, as they have a critical role in recommending solutions to support older adults鈥 ability to perform daily activities in the home.
鈥淲e know that most older adults want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. The home assessment is an opportunity to identify challenges in the home environment, and to suggest where assistive devices and technology can help support safety, independence, and wellbeing,鈥 said Dr. Krista Whitney (pictured), co-investigator and physician at Bruy猫re.
The project team will review how technology is currently integrated in home assessments, then look to understand how older adults are using recommended technologies to validate the benefits and identify key challenges and barriers. The team will create an approach to incorporate technology into OT recommendations. Participating occupational therapists will pilot the approach with older adults, seeking feedback on their experience, and providing their own feedback.
鈥淭he life solutions we dream of are ones that can enable independence and living well. Best Buy Health is thrilled to be partnering with the Bruy猫re Research Institute and AGE-WELL to make people鈥檚 homes healthier,鈥 said Sara Aghvami, director of Best Buy Health. 鈥淭echnology solutions offered by Healthy Homes bundles offer older adults the opportunity to take control of their health and home.鈥
鈥淪upporting multisectoral collaborations that foster healthy aging and advance the AgeTech sector is an important part of AGE-WELL鈥檚 mandate. We are delighted to support exciting collaborations between active members of our network like Best Buy Health, Bruy猫re, 杏吧原创 University and our SAM3 National Innovation Hub to develop and evaluate technology-driven solutions that promote aging in place,鈥 said Alex Mihailidis, PhD, scientific director and CEO of AGE-WELL, Canada鈥檚 technology and aging network. AGE-WELL is a co-funder of the project with Best Buy Health.
Long-term, the team hopes to develop a clinical practice toolkit to better include consumer technology solutions in occupational therapists鈥 home assessment guidelines.