Gerontechnology: Revealing Where Technology in a Digital Age Is Changing the Health and Well-Being of Older People

Dear Colleagues,

Population ageing is hugely topical and widespread. In fact, the increased proportion of older people in the population is probably one of the most significant social transformations of the 21st century, though it is not the only one. In addition to the demographic shifts being experienced worldwide, we also live in a time of extreme technological shifts, and this explosion of digital connectivity has a direct effect on the ageing population (Outthink Ageing, 2016). This Special Issue welcomes primary studies and reviews on the burgeoning field of gerontechnology, where the multidisciplinary fields of older people research and health technology research and practices meet. We are particularly interested in well-designed translational research demonstrating health outcomes related to well-being, mobility, and communication amongst older people. Studies and reviews should inform practitioners, administrators, and policy makers on evidence-based ways to optimize living environments for older people. Key areas of interest of the intersection between older people and health technology will include improving digital literacy and closing the digital divide, and digital exclusion; use of assistive technology (AT) for people who are hearing or visually impaired and where AT assists ageing-in-place; use of technology, especially social networking sites, to counter loneliness, isolation, and improve mental health, and for the delivery of telehealth and telemedicine; and studies or reviews that demonstrate an affirming relationship with health and well-being of the older person and the use of e-transport. Our Special Issue welcomes research that considers diverse voices that extend beyond the typical Western lens, to include cultural and linguistic diversity, along with older groups or populations who experience marginalization and/or social exclusion, those in rural and regional geographies, and where the carer of the older person is also included.

Dr. Anthony G. Tuckett 
Dr. Shelley Gower
Dr. Michelle A. Kelly
Dr. Susan Slatyer
Guest Editors