AUTHOR=Schmidt Laura I. , Wagner Melanie , Büßecker Hanna A. , Franke Annette A. 

TITLE=Who uses technical aids in old age? Exploring the implementation of technology-based home modifications in Europe

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1130177

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1130177

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Home modifications and features, e.g., hand rails or ramps for people using wheelchairs, should allow residents with functional limitations to maintain social participation, health and well-being for aging in place. However, there is little evidence in relation to the individual characteristics shaping this implementation of technology-based home modifications. Current studies often focus on describing distribution of certain implementations in households, but do not provide information on factors predicting the implementation or detailed and multifaceted data on associations with characteristics of the older user. The article therefore examines the use of well-established technological aids and home modifications (e.g., ramps, hand rails, automatic doors, bathroom or kitchen modifications, chair lifts, alerting devices) in the households of older adults in Europe by drawing on representative data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), wave 6. We refer to Lawton`s and Nahemow`s concept of Personal-Environment fit and describe the use of technical aids across 18 countries, analyze associations with individual characteristics and social resources, and compare those associations and variance explanation between older adults in their third age (“young-old”, 65-79 years) and older adults in fourth age (“old-old”, 80+). A total of N = 38,553 older adults aged 65 to 105 years (M = 74.4 years, SD = 7.1; 55% women) were analyzed performing hierarchical logistic regression analyses. Indicators of functioning explained the highest proportion of variance, followed by social resources and variance explanation was higher for the fourth age than for the third age. In particular, older adults with physical limitations, a larger social network, and those who received care from a child outside the household were more likely to have home modifications installed. The study provides an overview of associations of diverse variables with assistive devices and modifications in the home and can serve as a starting point for public health activities concerning the heterogeneity of persons 65 years and older.