An Assessment of the Current State of Human Factors Training Related to Aging and Gerontology

Abstract

Human factors is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to understand interactions between humans and other elements of a system. As such, human factors practitioners, researchers, and students should be informed of age-related changes in sensory processing, memory, and attention across the lifespan and their relevance to design. Advancements in healthcare and an aging generation from the mid-20th century baby boom have led to increasingly older populations worldwide. To continue functioning independently, older adults will need to be able to use technology both now and in the future. Product designs must appropriately accommodate and be accepted by the growing aging population. Thus, it is particularly pertinent to understand how the new generations of human factors students are being educated about agingrelated changes that can inform the design of technology. Therefore, the current project seeks to document the prevalence of coursework and courses dedicated to aging and gerontology within human factors programs.