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ETHICS OF SMART HOUSE WELFARE TECHNOLOGY FOR OLDER ADULTS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

Veralia Gabriela Sánchez Open the ORCID record for Veralia Gabriela Sánchez [Opens in a new window] ,
Ingrid Taylor  and
Pia Cecilie Bing-Jonsson
Veralia Gabriela Sánchez
Affiliation:
Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, University College of Southeast Norwayveralia.g.sanchez@usn.no
Ingrid Taylor
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University College of Southeast Norway
Pia Cecilie Bing-Jonsson
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University College of Southeast Norway
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Abstract

Background: The University College of Southeast Norway has an on-going project to develop a smart house welfare system to allow older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their homes for as long as they wish in safe, dignified, living conditions.

Objectives: This article reviews reported ethical challenges to implementing smart houses for older adults.

Methods: A systematic literature review identified twenty-four articles in English, French, Spanish, and Norwegian, which were analyzed and synthesized using Hofmann's question list to investigate the reported ethical challenges.

Results: Smart houses offer a promising way to improve access to home care for older adults and people with disabilities. However, important ethical challenges arise when implementing smart houses, including cost-effectiveness, privacy, autonomy, informed consent, dignity, safety, and trust.

Conclusions: The identified ethical challenges are important to consider when developing smart house systems. Due to the limitations of smart house technology, designers and users should be mindful that smart houses can achieve a safer and more dignified life-style but cannot solve all the challenges related to ageing, disabilities, and disease. At some point, smart houses can no longer help persons as they develop needs that smart houses cannot meet.

Keywords

Assistive technologyAssistive livingPrivacyEthical challengesNorway
Type
Assessments
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 33 , Issue 6 , 2017 , pp. 691 - 699
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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References

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