Health Applications of Gerontechnology, Privacy, and Surveillance: A Scoping Review

Abstract

In this era of technological advances designed to assist older adults to age in place and monitor health challenges, the emphasis has been on the surveillance of older adults for their safety and the peace of mind of caregivers. This article focuses on two emerging gerontechnologies: wearables and smart home or ambient assistive living (AAL) devices. In order to explore the intersections of the ageing enterprise and surveillance capitalism, this scoping review addresses the following questions: (1) what are the existing technologies; (2) what are the privacy concerns raised by participants, researchers, and caregivers due to intended and unintended uses of these technologies? Specifically, this article synthesizes twenty relevant sources concerning the surveillance potentials of these gerontechnologies and the privacy implications for adults aged sixty-five and over. While these technologies may offer older adults greater autonomy/safety and caregivers peace of mind, their surveillance and privacy infringement potentials cannot be overlooked or cast as a trade-off. Amidst the automation of the care, collection, combination, and commodification of various forms of personal, health, and wellness metadata, the right to privacy, dignity, and ageing in place must remain central to the adoption and use of these technologies.

Ambient ageism: Exploring ageism in acoustic representations of older adults in AgeTech advertisements

“…Brevini ( 2021 ) notes that this kind of myth-building is commonplace in tech solutionism, observing that each new wave of technology first brings declarations of an end, or crisis, which is quickly forgotten with each subsequent wave. Indeed, the “ageing enterprise” profits by constructing ageing as a crisis it can solve (Neven and Peine, 2017 ; Carver and Mackinnon, 2020 ).…”

“…In the AgeTech advertisements, tech solutionism is articulated through the narrative arc that always includes an accident (usually a fall) or health crisis for the older adult at home, amplifying vulnerabilities (as surveillance capitalism does) before offering a solution (Carver and Mackinnon, 2020 ). In each case, the smart home technology came to the rescue.…”

“…Recalling Neven and Peine's ( 2017 ) observation about technological solutions and construction of the moral high ground, the acoustics of AgeTech advertisements reinforce the perception that technology is for common good, making humanity “flourish” by enhancing personal and societal wellbeing (Brevini, 2021 ). Carver and Mackinnon ( 2020 ) note that technological fixes can infringe on older adults' rights to independence and self-determination. Technology comes to be seen as a minor threat compared to the perceived risks and threats to older adults' safety and security within the home.…”

“…Technology comes to be seen as a minor threat compared to the perceived risks and threats to older adults' safety and security within the home. Indeed, technology becomes the saviour that is “necessary, caring, and even freeing,” maintaining the “false dichotomy between safety and surveillance” and obfuscating concerns about privacy and autonomy (Carver and Mackinnon, 2020 , p. 217). In the following section, the role of music, sound, and voice in the construction of private and public space will be discussed.…”

Development of an Internet of Things Technology Platform (the NEX System) to Support Older Adults to Live Independently: Protocol for a Development and Usability Study

“…Despite mounting evidence of the role of technology in supporting older adults to live independently at home [5,20,21], it is critically important that any proposed technology be aligned with core requirements. This underpins the objective of this phase: to provide user needs and requirements to ensure the development of systems that blend user needs with technological advancements.…”