Aging & Social Change: Fourteenth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

We deeply investigate the intersection of aging and the burgeoning realm of accessibility to future health technology for older adults. We cast a wide net across multiple distinct regions, employing observations through the lens of culture in South Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States. We discuss how the culture of active aging, focused on health management, differs among older adults in each group and examine how the digital literacy level among older adults impacts their accessibility to healthcare. Imagine a society where human interaction takes precedence, avoiding the elevation of technology as the focal point. For older adults, such a technology-centered society might seem incomprehensible, leading to confusion and frustration due to changes in the societal system that they were not warned about. The implications of constructing a technologically advanced society that overlooks older adults are varied and contingent on location, nation, and the cultural perceptions of aging in each region. Older adults with advanced technology literacy will have enhanced access to healthcare and healthcare information. The healthcare disparity factor includes digital literacy and this will continue to create a gap between medical access and older adults. We question how technology, developed without centering on the older generation and the differences in culture, assists in meaningfully engaging with world. We emphasize that healthcare technology must be attuned to the diverse cultural approaches health management among older adults in this global era, especially older-adults-with-disabilities. As technology connects people globally, it’s imperative to foster diverse and inclusive society in future.