Human Factors Considerations in Design for the Elderly

Abstract

As the elderly population continues to grow in many developed countries, there is an immense need for products and services to improve their well-being. At present, numerous supportive technologies are being implemented to assist the elderly, both at home and outdoors. However, the application of human factors is often overlooked in the development of such technologies. Identifying human factors and ergonomic issues could help to produce designs that better meet the capabilities, limitations, and needs of the elderly. It also serves to increase the well-being and comfort of the elderly and to reduce the potential errors that often occur when using technology. Therefore, we conducted this study to analyze the prevalent problems related to human factors among the elderly and identify possible solutions to improve products and services for the target population.