Increasing senior independence and decreasing senior loneliness through a tablet system that allows members to play to their strengths rather than their weaknesses.
Background
As we age, we lose our social connections through distance, death, and our changing
social circles. We also tend to lose physical and mental abilities.
A lot of research goes into how we should accommodate seniors and their growing weaknesses in physical or mental health.
None of them go into how we should accommodate their strengths.
Visiting the Second Mile Club showed me there were lots of
I wanted to expand on these interactions. Socializing and independence are such large parts of human existence and it gets harder as you age.
Therefore I decided to create a tablet app that could be accessed anywhere to allow users to expand their social circles and abilities.
I set two goals: increase senior independence and decrease senior loneliness.
Why Tablet?
Seniors using tablets is going up quickly.
64 to 74 year olds using the web with a tablet went from 5% to 17% during 2012 and 2013.
This has caused a 27% increase in internet usage up to 42%.
Tablet use in general is becoming more popular from 16% in 2012 to 30% in 2013.
Reynolds, John. “Tablet computer web browsing by older people surges.” The Guardian. Last modified April 29, 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/apr/29/tablet-computerweb-browsing-older-generation-surges.
Challenges
When conducting a survey to see how best to proceed with the app, under the question: “What concerns (if any) do you have about social networking?” — the biggest concerns were about privacy and security. Some seniors would not even fill out my survey out of fear of being scammed.
Therefore in order to complete my goal I needed to also address these concerns. It
does not matter how great the system is — if nobody uses it, it is useless.
What’s Tip?
The underlying purpose behind Tip is to design a platform where seniors can play to
their strengths rather than their weaknesses. Participants share knowledge and experience in topics they are skilled in and learn from others in their areas of expertise.
Why Tip?
“Tip.”
As in the very top.
“Tip.”
A small but useful, practical piece of advice.
“Tip someone off.”
Give them information about something.
“Tip one’s hat.”
A way of greeting or acknowledging someone.
“Tip the scales or balance.”
Be the deciding factor.
“Be tipped.”
Predict as likely to win or achieve something.
Addressing Security
Tip would be used by both community centers and their members. Like an intranet, the
users are therefore vetted by the community centers, as only their members can join.
Members’ names and phone numbers are entered and activated by the community center. The pin number sent to members’ phones are used to sign up. Log in also requires a pin number.
Navigation
Articles
Articles is the section of the app where members can write about topics they are knowledgeable in or read up on topics they want to learn more about, written by other members.
Solve
Members can ask or answer questions from other members in the Solve section of the app. Help is streamlined the questions is sent out to all members who have tagged themselves as experts in the area, allowing participants to get help quickly from the right people and multiple sources.
Schedule
Members can look for upcoming events or volunteer opportunities at local community centers and add it to their tablet calendar.
Contacts and Settings
Personal contacts can be kept track through here allowing for users to phone, text or video chat. Numbers can also be dialed if they are not entered into the app.
The Tip experience can also be personalized through the Settings where font size, line spacing and volume can be adjusted.
Tip Prototype for Ipad/Computer
Demo Video for Tip
Credits
Music in Demo Video
Spark Of Inspiration by Shane Ivers (https://www.silvermansound.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Recipes in App
Gingerbread Bundt Cake by King Arthur Flour (http://www.kingarthurflour.
com/recipes/gingerbread-bundt-cake-recipe)
Best White Icing Ever (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/8263/best-white-icingever/)
Photos are either my own or are free from Public Domain Pictures.
