Lessons Learned and Next Steps for User-Centered Design With Older Adults and Caregivers

Chair(s)

• 

  Jennifer Portz, PhD, MSW

  Assistant Professor
  General Internal Medicine
  University of Colorado
  Aurora, Colorado, United States

Discussant(s)

• SC

  Sara Czaja, PhD

  Professor
  Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
  Weill Cornell Medicine/Center on Aging and Behavioral Research
  New York, New York, United States

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

• 

  Evan Plys, PhD (he/him/his)

  Assistant Professor
  Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research
  Massachusetts General Hospital
  Boston, Massachusetts, United States
• 

  Marquita Lewis-Thames, Phd, MPH, MS (she/her/hers)

  Assistant Professor
  Department of Medical Social Science
  Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
  Chicago, Illinois, United States
• 

  Lyndsay DeGroot, PhD, RN, CNE (she/her/hers)

  Postdoctoral Fellow
  General Internal Medicine
  University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine
  Aurora, Colorado, United States
• 

  Nicole Werner, PhD (she/her/hers)

  Associate Professor
  Health & Wellness Design
  Indiana University, Bloomington
  Bloomington, Indiana, United States

Digital health can uniquely address various healthcare challenges, yet its’ effectiveness relies heavily on factors such as usability, acceptability, and inclusivity. In this symposium, we present findings from three pioneering projects aimed at developing and refining digital health interventions for older adults and their care partners, tailored to specific populations and healthcare needs. Each project employs a user-centered design (UCD) approach to address unique challenges and opportunities in digital health intervention development. From designing dyadic interventions for advanced dementia to improving care coordination for rural older adults and integrating social support in palliative care, these projects offer valuable insights into developing meaningful, accessible, and person-centered digital health solutions across diverse healthcare landscapes. The final presentation outlines lessons learned from four remote co-design processes for dementia care partner interventions. Co-design, involving an active contribution from older adults and partners, fosters usable, relevant solutions, yet challenges in implementing co-design warrant guidance. Lastly, our Discussant, Dr. Sara Czaja, a world-renown expert in aging-related technology, will lead a conversation highlighting the benefits of UCD, the challenges and limitations of the approach, and innovative solutions for fostering the engagement of older adults and their care partners in the digital health design process.

Presentations:

• 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM PST

  Designing a Bioexperiential Program for Safety, Usability, and Acceptability With Dyads With Advanced Dementia
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Evan Plys, PhD (he/him/his) – Massachusetts General Hospital
• 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM PST

  Lessons Learned From a User-Centered Design Approach Rural Older Adults Using Digital Health Tools
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Marquita Lewis-Thames, Phd, MPH, MS (she/her/hers) – Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
• 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM PST

  Enhancing Palliative Care Through the Integration of the Social Convoy: A User-Centered Design Approach
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Lyndsay DeGroot, PhD, RN, CNE (she/her/hers) – University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine
• 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM PST

  Lessons Learned Engaging Care Partners of People Living With Dementia in Co-Design of Digital Health Interventions
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Nicole E. Werner, PhD (she/her/hers) – Indiana University, Bloomington