Bridging the technology gap
The challenge facing us is that the number of healthcare workers is not keeping pace with demand, and further, they are themselves ageing. Realistically, technology must bridge the gap between healthcare demand and supply, but past efforts have largely failed. Technology, in particular health technology, tends to be designed by younger people without truly understanding or involving the particular needs of our older people.
Why has technology struggled to meet their needs? Because, unlike younger generations, older people have not grown up immersed in technology. This is not a question of health literacy or tech capability – it’s exposure and usability. Devices like smartphones and remote controls are often overly complicated and impractical for older people, with small buttons and complex screens. Relying on connections such as Wi-Fi is often problematic – a visit from a grandchild can often result in issues as they alter the settings in some way and then leave, with granny struggling to reconnect to the internet.
Co-design in practice
Co-design is important but challenging. Although co-design is regularly undertaken with children and teenagers, older people, who arguably need it the most, are often overlooked. Effective co-design involves patiently engaging older users from the outset, presenting technology clearly, gathering their feedback, and continually refining solutions based on their input.
Successful co-design would significantly improve self-management, a fundamental aspect of modern healthcare. Many older people manage multiple long-term health conditions, and subtle changes in activity, vision, or hearing impact their wellbeing. Technology designed through careful co-design could effectively monitor these changes, predict and reduce risks like falls, and support greater independence. Practical and user-friendly technology specifically designed with older users in mind can meaningfully improve daily life.
Internationally, countries with older populations, such as Japan and the United Kingdom, have already advanced in this area. They involve older individuals in engineering and technology design programmes, collaboratively developing furniture, rooms, and healthcare systems. While New Zealand is not yet at this stage, we have the opportunity to proactively adopt these methods.
The role of AI
How does AI contribute to this? AI primarily assists by improving healthcare data quality, quickly targeting interventions, and making real-time adjustments to healthcare responses. Rather than spending weeks developing static algorithms, AI allows us to continually refine healthcare solutions, matching interventions more accurately to individual needs. Combined with thoughtful co-design, AI can deliver tailored healthcare solutions for older New Zealanders.
The bottom line is that we must act swiftly. Through effective co-design and strategic AI integration, healthcare technology can be significantly improved to serve older New Zealanders more effectively and sustainably.