Understanding Barriers and Design Opportunities to Improve Healthcare and QOL for Older Adults through Voice Assistants

TL;DR

This paper explores the challenges and opportunities in designing voice assistant systems to improve healthcare and quality of life for older adults, based on interviews with users and providers.

Contribution

It identifies key barriers faced by older adults and highlights design challenges and opportunities for integrating voice-based IVAs into healthcare routines.

Findings

Identified 12 barriers faced by older adults in using voice IVAs.

Highlighted key design challenges for healthcare-related voice assistant systems.

Provided insights to improve IVA design for aging populations.

Abstract

Voice based Intelligent Virtual Assistants (IVAs) promise to improve healthcare management and Quality of Life (QOL) by introducing the paradigm of hands free and eye free interactions. However, there has been little understanding regarding the challenges for designing such systems for older adults, especially when it comes to healthcare related tasks. To tackle this, we consider the processes of care delivery and QOL enhancements for older adults as a collaborative task between patients and providers. By interviewing 16 older adults living independently or semi independently and 5 providers, we identified 12 barriers that older adults might encounter during daily routine and while managing health. We ultimately highlighted key design challenges and opportunities that might be introduced when integrating voice based IVAs into the life of older adults. Our work will benefit practitioners who study and attempt to create full fledged IVA powered smart devices to deliver better care and support an increased QOL for aging populations.