The Lived Experience of Older Adults with Monitoring Technologies: An Interpretive Phenomenology Study

Background: Most older adults prefer to age in place. Technology-assisted monitoring can enhance safety while maintaining independence. However, there is limited understanding of older adult end users’ preferences and experiences. Methods: In this interpretive phenomenological study, we interviewed eight older adults, with and without dementia, to understand their lived experiences with monitoring technology and its impact on self-identity, independence, and aging-in-place. Results: We found that older adults use pragmatic strategies to process the meaning of life as “monitored” individuals, reflected in four themes: (1) freedom to age in place, (2) the need for active and integrated intervention, (3) individualized approaches to technology based on temperament, usefulness, and worldview, and (4) a sense of changing situations while remaining unchanged. Adaptive techniques for older adults with dementia successfully elicited complex thoughts and desires when participants were given sufficient time and space. Conclusions: As technology-assisted monitoring becomes more common, it is imperative to understand the perspectives of older adult end users. Focusing on lived experiences offers valuable insights to ensure technology-assisted monitoring interventions are effective and accepted as older adults navigate changes in their capabilities and endeavor to age in place.