# Surfacing Technology Routines While Studying Videoconferencing Among Older Adults with Cognitive Concerns

## TL;DR

This paper explores how older adults with cognitive concerns use and adapt to videoconferencing routines, offering insights for better technology design.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel focus on routines in videoconferencing for older adults with cognitive concerns, revealing how these routines help manage technology use.

## Key findings

- Routines help older adults adapt to videoconferencing constraints.
- Participants faced challenges managing disrupted routines.
- Studying routines can enrich HCI research and design.

## Abstract

HCI research increasingly focuses on everyday life to inform technology design for older adults. Routines, a key aspect of everyday life, have been studied to contextualize technology use. Our work brings attention to understanding of routines around videoconferencing technology among older adults with cognitive concerns. We conducted a week-long study involving observations, interviews, and a modified diary study with six older adults with cognitive concerns who videoconference at least once a week. Our analysis revealed how routines helped people adapt to videoconferencing constraints, how participants navigated disruptions to their videoconferencing routines, and the kinds of routines that were more challenging to manage when faced disruptions. In the discussion, we describe why routines are particularly important to study and support for people with cognitive concerns, the importance of studying older adults’ routines to support technology use in HCI, and methods that can enrich HCI research by uncovering insights into routines.