A smart workspace supporting a healthy life in pre-elderly households

In development of ageing-friendly environments, the evolving social and technical requirements of the elderly have often not been adequately taken into account. A more in-depth understanding of the needs, preferences and social and technical dispositions of the pre-elderly (late 40s and 50s) would provide an enhanced perspective regarding the usability of smart environments. The pre-elderly would have different characteristics from those who are elderly at present. They are more skilled than the present-day elderly at using information technologies such as email, social networking services and smart phones. As they continue to age, the pre-elderly will need environments equipped with smart technologies for use in self-development and professional work. This is especially the case, as it is anticipated that the elderly of the future will have high levels of health and activity. This study involved intensive interviews with several double-income couples in their 40s. The couples' future desires and requirements for enabling technologies and smart home workspaces were identified. A conceptual framework for a smart workspace was developed based on a first interview with each participating couple. This framework was verified by feedback derived from a second interview. In conclusion, a direction for the design of a smart workspace was proposed.