Technologies to Support Aging among People with Long-Term Disabilities
TechSAge Talks with Yi-An Chen
TechSAge Talks are Q&A interviews on all things aging, disability, & tech. Our latest conversation features Yi-An Chen – an occupational therapist teaming up with musicians to develop a music-based hand therapy app for individuals post-stroke. Learn more about the innovative Keystroke app.
Featured Article: Communication challenges and response strategies of late-deafened older adults
A new TechSAge article in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics explores the unique communication challenges faced by late-deafened older adults. In the Aging, Challenges, Concerns, and Everyday Solution Strategies (ACCESS) study, researchers identified key barriers included noisy environments, limitations of assistive technology, lack of visual cues, and insufficient support from others. The study also revealed the various strategies participants use to manage these communication challenges, such as captioning, amplification devices, lip-reading, and advocating for their support needs. Read the full article by Gianna Kohl, Erin Heniff, Maya Dye, and Wendy Rogers.
Latest Publications
Technology Implications
Everyday Challenges for Individuals Aging With Vision Impairment: Technology Implications
Aging Trends
Understanding Wheelchair Use in Older Adults From the National Health and Aging Trends Study
Digital Assistants
Understanding the needs of older adults learning to use digital home assistants: A demonstration study
Staff Spotlight: Maria Lusardi
Maria Lusardi is a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at Illinois and is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Human-Centered Autonomy Lab. On TechSAge, she is part of the team designing and testing Waybot – a robotic wayfinding assistant for people aging with vision impairment. Her research interests are centered on how humans and robots can work together effectively. In her free time, Maria likes to knit and is currently working on her first sweater.
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TechSAge research is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR Grant #90REGE0021)
NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).