Exploring how older adults and carers perceive and experience a real-time location system in a long-term care home

Assistant Professor of Gerontology, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and Master of Applied Gerontology, Brock University

Real-time location systems are technologies that continuously track the location of individuals and assets. These are being implemented in long-term care homes with an interest in improving the quality of care through automation of care tasks and prediction of clinically significant changes in wellbeing. However, little research to date has engaged residents and carers in the evaluation of these technologies. To ensure that the use of these technologies enhances (rather than interferes with) compassionate care requires that their design and implementation is grounded in the preferences and values of these stakeholders.  To that end, Alisa’s qualitative study will engage 20 residents and 20 carers from one long-term care home in Ontario that is implementing a real-time location system.