Critical barriers of using smart home technologies (SHTs) to the elderly in Hong Kong

Abstract

Similar to other developed economies, Hong Kong also faces a severe ageing-related problems. Considering the ageing-in-place initiative to enhance the safe living of the elderly population in their familiar living environments, the use of SHTs has been proposed and employed. Meanwhile, there are challenges that may impede the purpose of developing SHTs by the elderly. Therefore, this paper investigated the barriers of SHTs to the elderly in Hong Kong, determined the critical ones and further categorized into manageable size. Based on the various analyses conducted, the characterization of the critical barriers of SHTs to the elderly in Hong Kong are cost and knowledge barrier, personal concern, and uncertainty barrier. The study provides recommendations to manufacturers of SHTs, the organisations where the senior adults worked before retirements, families of the elderly, the government and the seniors that could help to improve and enhance the ageing-in-place (AIP) in Hong Kong.