A Health Industry Perspective on Augmented Reality as a Communication Tool in Elderly Fall Prevention
Occupational therapists aim to provide person centered fall preventative home modifications for older adults. For many older adults, anticipating home modifications and the related effects on their goals and lifestyles presents issues. The health industry seeks to raise compliance rates and successful uptake of recommendations. However, the inability to effectively visually communicate modifications can generate non compliancy with interventions and safety problems. Augmented reality allows occupational therapists to enhance design communication and empower older clients in a novel manner. This qualitative research explores the industry side of fall prevention and design communication through the experiences of eleven specialist health professionals. Interviews with these experts are conducted and an augmented reality home modification design prototype is presented and evaluated, focusing on service goals and the goals of their older clients. Results show that the health industry welcomes augmented reality; new technologies permit greater person centeredness by facilitating two way design communication.
ITAP '16