Abstract
This article reports a study aiming to determine the perceptions of older adults needing formal care about the usefulness, satisfaction, and ease of use of CaMeLi, a virtual companion based on an embodied conversational agent, and the perceptions of formal caregivers about the potential of virtual companions to support care provision. An observational study involving older adults needing formal care was conducted to assess CaMeLi using a multi-method approach (i.e., an auto-reported questionnaire—the Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of use questionnaire; a scale for the usability assessment based on the opinion of observers—the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health-based Usability Scale; and critical incident registration). Moreover, a focus group was conducted to collect data regarding the perceived utility of virtual companions to support care provision. The observational study was conducted with 46 participants with an average age of 63.6 years, and the results were associated with a high level of usefulness, satisfaction, and ease of use of CaMeLi. Furthermore, the focus group composed of four care providers considered virtual companions a promising solution to support care provision and to prevent loneliness and social isolation. The results of both the observational study and the focus group revealed good perceptions regarding the role of virtual companions to support the care provision for older adults.
Highlights
The changes in population age pyramids that have occurred in recent decades, namely the increase of older age groups, impact provision of care for older adults
The article reports an observational study using a multi-method approach, which includes the USE scale, to determine the perceptions of older adults needing formal care about the usefulness, satisfaction, and ease of use of a virtual companion based on an embodied conversational agent
The objectives of the study reported by this article informed the following research questions:
Summary
The changes in population age pyramids that have occurred in recent decades, namely the increase of older age groups, impact provision of care for older adults. Solutions such as home care might contribute to addressing the challenges faced by health and social care systems concerning the current population evolution trend [1,2]. Integrated solutions based on information technologies are regarded as one of the possibilities to promote ageing in place, avoiding or delaying institutionalization, and preventing loneliness and social isolation [5].
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