gms | German Medical Science

Background: The employment of health-related, digital technologies is increasingly discussed. In particular, rural areas are supposed to benefit from this development. Thereby, the consideration of users’ needs is crucial for the acceptance of technologies or services. In respect to older people in rural areas in their home environment, the purpose of this contribution is to get a better understanding of their everyday practice, which challenges they are ordinary and recurrently confronted with and how they deal with potential ‘problems’.

Methods: To reconstruct relevant issues, problem-centred interviews (PCI) are conducted with elderlies (65+). The guide is based on theoretical assumptions of rural-specific properties and on the complexity of lifeworlds in home environment (socio-gerontological perspectives). Moreover, photos are taken of those parts, which are designated as challenging in everyday life. Until now 11 interviews have been conducted. Analysis of the interviews will be conducted with qualitative content analysis.

Results: First findings unfold social isolation and loneliness as one major challenge in everyday life. Some interviewees feel overwhelmed by technological development and point to an age-related digital divide. Others express the desire to utilise ICT. Prerequisite for this, however, are appropriate (educational) offers.

Conclusions: The question is what kind of (technological) solution do the people concerned here really want and how come technicians to know of it? In order to combine the different social realities and languages of engineers and elderly persons, interdisciplinary focus groups will be conducted. Here, results of PCI’s as well as photos will be used as (visual) stimuli.