Ethnographical study – Meeting the future: The elders and their relationship with the information technology

Ethnographical StudyMeeting the Future: The Elders and Their Relationship with the Information Technology

Abstract 

   All the demographical studies made in the last years clearly indicate that the world is passing through a period of deep demographical shift, where the majority of the population is relatively young, but an important percentage, about 10%, is represented by people aged over 60.                                                

  An important organizational resource that can provide a competitive advantage in the field of information technology is knowledge.  The role that assistive technology plays in the life of the elders over 60 can be essential for them in order to improve their life and social communication level in the modern world.  We can observe the great incentive to give a helping hand to elders in order for them to be independent in their homes.    

   The motif is that the aggressive wave of the technology created a favorable background for the seniors to back off, feeling isolated or alienated.  Regarding this issue, there are numerous efforts in adapting the informational technology for all citizens, no matter their cultural or educational background, disabilities or requirements.  The assistive technology meant a huge help for the senior category of people, beginning a true technological battle with the disabilities that can occur at ages over 60, especially the age-related memory –loss.

  Our study presents how the elder population over 60 can benefit from the relationship with the concept of assistive technology, by combining the concepts of learning society with the information technology.  The study focuses on the reproduction and the research of elder’s everyday life, by underlining their needs, the social structures they are involved in and their contact with the modern technology. 

  The objective was to find out the needs of elder people over 60 years and in what manner they can be satisfied by the products of the information technology, with a focus on the product called Medicine Reminder.   

   Some of the products produced by the informational technology companies are actually re-imagined existing technologies: devices that help the blind men cross, walkers that come when they are called or pills boxes with an alarm.  As long as those products come in familiar packages, and are easy to use, they will be easily accepted by the elders. They help the senior persons live a quality life, independent and free of worries.

  For example, one simple device is a modified alarm clock, that helps seniors to remember eating or taking their medicine.  The auto-minder or the medicine reminder clock as they call it, does clearly more than sending an alarm on schedule, it shows the time when they must take the medication, thus helping the seniors maintain their health state. Some of the products from this information technology category are the Watchminder2 made by Time Now, Cadex medication reminder from Cadex or the Multi-alarm reminder box from HGG International Limited. 

   We designed the Medicine Reminder, which brings the assistive technology to elders in an easy to use and to maintain device.  What makes our product different from other devices with the same functionality is that it was created having in mind the fact that it would be used by elder people, while the other devices on the market are also very performing, but also have very complicated tasks.

KeywordsAssistive Technology, elders, user research, ethnographical study, Medicine Reminder, information technology, preventive health Problem statement

The ethnographic study focuses on the benefits of the Medicine Reminder device for the elders over 60, considering the health problems that can occur at that age, the memory loss and the development of the assistive technology.

The ethnographic research

   The ethnographic method was used as a research approach due to its deep analysis process that can reveal the theoretical perspectives upon the importance of the modern devices provided by the information technology in the life of the elders over 60. Our study involves the results of the research group studying the human dynamics of elder people in accordance with the new information technology and its influence in their daily activities.

  It was a one-day workshop that helped us to examine the current position of information technology to support the elders over 60 in preserving their health and well-being.   We allowed the elders to describe their opinion about the information technology and the medicine reminder device in particular.

  The study was realized through methods of the ethnography including the participant observation and the ethnographic interview.  An essential part of the study consists in interviews, because it was the best method to understand the elders’ daily lives and the position that the information technology occupies in their lives.

After the research was conducted, we analyzed the ethnographical process and we made a clear difference between the presentational data (the declarations of the elders) and the operational data (the actual context where the elders are placed regarding the study).

    The incredible progresses made in the field of technology and communications have lead to an informative society, and senior people were also affected by those changes.  We focused on the relationship that elder over 60 have with the assistive technology products, and in what manner those products contributed at improving their memory decline.

   The results indicate that elders over 60 are facing an increasing memory loss, in addition to the health problems that come with this age. As this decline in the physical and cognitive state of the elders occurs, many of their daily activities require a performing device that will help them to remember when to take their medicine or perform other activities.

   There are many products created by the assistive technology manufacturers, but we chose a medicine reminder as a promising opportunity field.  The elder persons need a device that will help maintain their health by indicating the time when the medication must be taken and the correct dosage through a simple display and alarm clock.  The device requires almost no maintenance and it’s easy to use, as the elders who participated at the study confirmed. 

  We wanted details about the daily activities of elders, and we used the ethnographical interview asking, for example, if they use any device produced by the assistive technology and if it has improved in a certain way their lives.  Two main themes emerged from the interviews: elders are very attached to the old technology and they consider that their health is the most important thing at this point of their lives. 

  The study is based on the participant observation  of elders over 60 that can be relevant regarding the impact of the information technology and will underline the reasons behind selecting such a subject for our study. The research was conducted in a household in the
UK.  There were 50 housewives and 62 retired men, all aged over 60 that participated at our study.  The majority of them had the average study background, meaning college, while a smaller percentage, about 10% had a master degree in their field of activity.  

  We will mention the results that we obtained in three of those cases who participated at the ethnographical study: S.V (62 years old, former Army officer), J.T. (60 years old, former teacher) and M.S. (65 years old, former construction worker).  Their professional background is relevant for decrypting the entire results of the study, regarding the problems that people over 60 encounter in their daily activities, their health problems and the level of independence in their lives.  The fact is that while living with their children, the seniors were helped daily in what concerns the medicines.  Their children were the ones that made sure that the medicines would be taken on time and in the right dosage, and by that they were assuring themselves that their parents will maintain their health.

   In time, children had married and choose to move in their own apartments leaving the seniors alone to deal with their problems.  The change was not a good one, because the seniors were facing more than loneliness, they had to face the situations created by the increased memory loss and diseases that occur at this age.

  The three seniors that we will focus on suffered from heart affections (S.V), diabetes (J.T) and osteoporosis (M.S).  All those affections required daily treatments with medicines in a certain dosage and if not taken on time, they can influence the state of the health in a major way.   The weak memory and the serious diseases the three seniors had lead to an important need to substitute the help previously provided by their children.  In order to maintain also the independence of the seniors, we considered that a simple device that will signal the time when the medicines must be taken and the right dosage would be the best answer to all their needs.

   They have also agreed that the assistive technology could be useful in their daily activities, but only if it would be easy to use and come in a familiar shape.  The radical products of the information technology are not that attractive for the elders because they have complicated systems and they find them hard to use.  The opportunity of having a Medicine Reminder was interesting for them, considering the following aspects:

§         its simple design;

§          the system that requires only the doctor and the pharmacist to operate in order to set the schedule of taking the medicine and the right dosage;

§         The alarm and the vibration option that are used to signal the time scheduled for the medicine.      

                                                                                                                                                           

CONCLUSION 

   The Ethnography study we have conducted has revealed that the conventional technologies like the telephone and the Television are used more frequently by the elders over 60 to manage their knowledge and lives.  The radical products offered by the Information Technology, such as medicine reminders or smart houses, for example, are not entirely exploited, but it is obvious what kind of benefits they can bring and their prospective potential.

  

   The results of the study are clearly in favor of this new form of helping the elders from our society through a device like the Medicine Reminder and there are many arguments that dispute its emergence.

   The Medicine Reminder is a solution to the elders’ memory loss and their need to take their medicines daily, at certain hours, in order to maintain their health and enjoy their lives without losing their independence.  Its tasks of reminding and warning the elders about the medication that supports their health make it a real health coach for the elders.    

   This new technology based on the artificial intelligence techniques is meant to help elder people by considering the changes brought by aging, especially the cognitive difficulties and decline.  In time, seniors will be unable to take care of themselves or their homes, and they will be confronted with the medical and social systems that can offer them the help they need, but the technology will give them the sense of control of their own lives. 

REFERENCES http://72.14.221.104/search?q=cache:k11_h5OXpKoJ:www.medicalmoment.org/_content/helpyourself/jul03/151201.asp+medicine+reminders&hl=ro&gl=ro&ct=clnk&cd=9  

http://72.14.221.104/search?q=cache:gfHgY9vArcsJ:www.medicalwatches.com/+medicine+reminders&hl=ro&gl=ro&ct=clnk&cd=11   http://72.14.221.104/search?q=cache:fZWqbTFQOusJ:apps.rgp.ufl.edu/otl/viewTechInfo.cfm%3Fcase%3D11272+medicine+reminders+for+elders&hl=ro&gl=ro&ct=clnk&cd=1  

 

Study case – The Cottage industry in the 21st century and the Internet

The Cottage Industry in the 21^st Century and the Internet – Case Study 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

   The term “cottage industry” formerly referred to the process of manufacturing that took place in people’s homes, way before the industrial revolution.  In present, the manufacturing process of various goods is realized mainly in factories, thus eliminating the individuals working at home.  There are few cottage businesses still left.  The difference is that today’s cottage industry is a whole lot different than the traditional one.

   People who are still in the cottage industry use the modern technology such as the Internet, fax and phone, in order to expand their businesses and make their products known all over the world.  The role of the Internet in the development of the cottage businesses is essential. 

   The case study focuses on the impact of the Internet in the particular case of a cottage based company from
UK, Museum Reproductions.  We tried to underline the advantages that the Internet has brought to this company, after two years of existence on the market.  The objective was to find out the needs of a cottage based company and in what manner they can be satisfied by the opportunities provided by the Internet. 

KEYWORDS: The Internet, Cottage industry, Online Businesses, Global Presence, Expanded Customer Base, Online Marketing   

   Museum Reproductions is a cottage based company that focuses on the production and reproduction of coins and artifacts.  The company was founded in 1992, and it obtained profits by selling their products while attending fairs and metal detecting club meetings.  Their products consist in reproductions of ancient coins and artifacts.

   The case study focuses on the benefits brought by the Internet for this small cottage industry, considering their need to expand their customer base and increase their profits by selling their products worldwide. 

   The case study was realized by using the questionnaire approach and the interview, due to the large views provided and detailed information that can reveal the theoretical perspectives upon the importance of the Internet in promoting cottage based industries.  Those methods allowed us to study the dynamics of cottage based companies in accordance with them gaining popularity and success in the World Wide Web.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 

   After the research was conducted, we have analyzed the results of the questionnaires and the interviews in order to make a clear difference between the presentational data (the situation of the small cottage we focused on) and the operational data (which represents the worldwide evolution of the cottage based industries after using the Internet as a powerful marketing tool).

   The amazing progresses that took place in the area of technology and communications have lead to an informative society, and the small cottage industries were also affected.  The results of the research will refer to the relation between the Museum Reproductions Company and the Internet, and in what way the Internet has influenced its evolution.

     As we previously mentioned, Museum Reproductions was founded in 1992.  Two years later, the owner decided to start the company’s website.  In the beginning, the owner had to deal with the high rates charged by the banks when converting different currencies from international payments.  That changed when Pay Pal took over the market regarding the international transactions and the rates have decreased significantly.  The owner of Museum Reproductions has declared that the profits of the business were low before deciding to use the Internet as a marketing instrument, but all of that had a major turn when they first went online.

   As a result, the company has gained popularity among the collectors all over the world who wanted to secure their ancient coins from stealing by ordering coin reproductions.  The owner also begun to use EBay as a virtual market for his cottage products, and the effect was stunning. 

   In the beginning of the business, Museum Reproductions had a profit of £1,000 per year.  Three years later, after expanding on the online market, the profits went sky-high up to £10,000.  The customer base has increased and in the present, Museum Reproductions has orders from all around the world.  The today’s profits of the cottage industry are not even comparable to the ones from the early years when the owner’s customer base was build on the local area by attending history fairs and metal detectors club meetings. The company still attends fairs and club meetings, but the highest percentage of profits is achieved through the Internet sales.

CONCLUSION 

  The case study has revealed that the conventional marketing strategies such as attending fairs and local events are still used by the small cottage industries, as a part of them continuing the tradition and connect directly with the customers at a national level.

  The Internet has brought a radical change in their marketing strategy, but it definitely had a leading role in expanding the cottage industry all over the world.  It is clear that the Internet represents a major opportunity for small cottage companies that use it as a main marketing tool for promoting their products and increase the customer base, which inevitably leads to profits.

RECOMMENDATIONS 

  By going online, the cottage based companies will be able to manage to overcome the physical barriers and promote their brand globally and increase their sales as they never expected to before using the Internet.

IMPLEMENTATION 

  Setting up a website is an option available for any small cottage business and requires a small financial input and maintenance ranging between £200 (for a basic website) and £800 (for a website with search engine optimization services included). The results of the case study are obviously in favor of the new technologies represented by the Internet and its benefits for the cottage industry, and there are many arguments which dispute its necessity.

REFERENCES  www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1995/06/12/BU52732.DTLhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/5350616.stmwww.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-cottage-industry.htmwww.cottagewebs.co.uk/