高齡者家庭智慧產品購買與使用經驗 ---以俗民方法學探討

Abstract

台灣老年人口比率持續上升，預估2025年台灣將成為超高齡社會 ，屆時65歲以上人口占總人口數超過20%。年輕人不婚不生、晚婚晚生，從而降低出生率，每戶平均人口數則由4.1人降為2.60人，因此面對人口老化，家庭照顧人力不足已是重要議題。近年來各個領域的家庭智慧產品蓬勃發展，可用以協助高齡者實現安全監控、家庭娛樂、智慧家電、居家照顧，從而協助在地老化。 本研究採用質性研究的俗民方法學，以深入訪談收集資料。本研究探討高齡者使用通訊軟體，社群媒體與視訊軟體對其生活的方便性，與家庭智慧產品購買與使用經驗，深入瞭解高齡者未使用家庭智慧產品前日常生活面運作，確定要購買後的期待，產品的選擇與購買，以及安裝、使用的過程與日常生活中使用經驗，以及對在地老化的幫助。 本研究計畫採半結構深入訪談，並觀察高齡者使用家庭智慧產品的實際情況 。 本研究結果發現家庭智慧產品帶來高齡者生活便利性，例如協助家務清潔工作、提升生活品質、提醒各項事項、連絡親友，以及方便其他生活事項之協助；通訊軟體與視訊軟體是是分享、連絡、通訊、獲取知識與傳遞訊息的重要工具，也是拉近與親友之間的距離，豐富老後生活的工具；以及使用安全監控設備，進行遠距關懷，利用物聯網科技，對家人的關懷不會因為距離而改變。 根據本研究結果發現未來可持續進行高齡者使用經驗相關研究，將有助於協助家庭智慧產品研發與修正，更適合高齡者使用。建議家庭智慧產品廠商可研發智慧家庭產品應用組合，多機連線，適合高齡者在地老化居家使用；創新智慧家庭產品開發與售後服務，減化安裝流程及操作介面，簡單方便互動功能，提升高齡者購買、自行安裝與使用意願。簡單易懂的中文app，應用語音控制技術，方便高齡者使用；建立完善售後服務系統，增加使用者對產品的信心，以開拓市場；針對高齡者智慧家庭產品的銷售策略，設置讓高齡者試用的場所，採用合宜媒體廣告渠道，建立行通路，把產品導入高齡者階層中。未來亦可考慮成立社會企業組織或公司，協助高齡者減少取得與使用選擇合適智慧家庭產品的障礙。 本研究發現高齡者利用家庭智慧產品提升生活便利性的障礙，以及現階段廠商研發與高齡者銷售策略的困境。這些發現將有助於研發更適合高齡者使用的智慧產品。家庭智慧產品協助高齡者滿足健康在地老化需求，將是未來極待解決的課題。而高齡者人數持續增加，滿足此社會需求則需要更多社會企業的投入。

The elderly population rat io in Taiwan continues to rise, it is estimated that Taiwan will become a super-aged society by 2025, where people aged 65 and above will account for more than 20% of the total population. Young people are not getting married or having children, or getting married later and having children later, consequently lowering the birth rate. The average number of people per household has dropped from 4.1 to 2.60, which leads to an aging population, where the lack of familial care is already a significant issue. The surge in development of smart home products in recent years enables the elderly in areas of safety control, home entertainment, household appliances, and home care, thus supporting the concept of aging in place. This research is planned using the ethnomethodology of qualitative research to explore how the elderly’s use of communication software, visual software, and social media brings convenience to their lives, including their experience in purchasing and using smart home products. To gain a deeper understanding of the elderly population who did not previously use smart home products in their daily lives, the expectations after purchase, product selection, installation, use process, and experience, and how it benefits aging in place. This research is conducted through in-depth interviews with the elderly population and observations made of real-life examples of their use of smart home products. The results of this research found that smart home products bring accessibility and convenience to the elderly, by assisting in household cleaning, providing valuable reminders, contacting relatives and friends, easing other life matters, and overall improving quality of life. Communication and visual software is an important tool for contacting, connecting, acquiring knowledge, and transmitting information, which can in turn enrich the lives of the elderly by closing the distance between relatives and friends. With the use of security monitoring equipment and internet-enabled equipment to carry out remote care, distance will no longer be a hindrance in providing care. Based on the results of this study, the continued research of the elderly’s user experiences will promote the development and modification of smart home products, subsequently making it more suitable for elderly use. It is recommended that smart home product manufacturers develop application portfolios and multi-machine connections suitable for the elderly to use in support of aging in place. And to further develop innovative products, after-sales service, simplifying installation and user interfaces, making the products easier to operate, and increasing the willingness of the elderly to purchase, install and use the products by themselves. Simple and easy-to-understand Chinese apps that uses voice control technology, with an established and complete after-sales service system, would increase user confidence in these products and expand the market. In respect to sales strategy targeting the elderly population, establishing trial sites, appropriate media advertising channels and path to products will be key in bringing smart home products into their homes. Future considerations of establishing social enterprise organizations and companies will help reduce the barriers for the elderly to obtain and use smart home products. This research finds the obstacles for the elderly to use family smart facilities to improve the convenience of life, as well as the current dilemma of manufacturers' R&D and sales strategies for the elderly. These findings will help to develop smart products that are more suitable for the elderly. Family smart facilities to help the elderly meet the needs of healthy local aging will be a topic that needs to be solved in the future. While highlighting the steady growth in the elderly population, along with meeting this social demand that requires more input from social enterprises.