Background Many older adults now use technologies such as wearable devices and telehealth services to support their health and well-being while living independently at home. However, older adults vary in how they use these technologies, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding the motivations that influence their acceptance and use of health-related technologies in home environments. Objective This study aimed to understand the types of technologies that older adults use to support their health and the factors that motivate them to use their chosen technologies to support their health. In addition, we aimed to understand the factors that enable the effective use of technologies for health self-management and to identify the barriers that can negatively affect the adoption of technologies. Methods A total of 22 older adults participated in semistructured interviews regarding their experiences of using technologies for health self-management. Interview transcripts were analyzed through an in-depth thematic analysis. Results The interviews revealed that a range of technologies, such as videoconferencing software, fitness trackers, and other devices, were being used by older adults to support their health. Interviews showed that participants were motivated to use technologies to monitor health issues, to stay active and connected, and to record and change their behavior in the light of foreseen risks related to their future health status. Enablers that facilitated the effective use of technologies include social and organizational influence, convenient access to health care and safety provided by the technology, and easy setup and low cost of the technology. Barriers include information overload and a sense of futility about future health decline; telehealth being an inadequate substitute for in-person consultation; concerns about trust related to privacy and accuracy; and technologies being stigmatizing, uncomfortable to use, expensive, and unfamiliar. Conclusions This study suggested that older adults were using a variety of technologies to prevent or prepare for future health decline, evidencing a resilient attitude toward health and aging. In addition, older adults were willing to continue using the technology when there was a perceived need. The enabler mentioned by most participants was the social and organizational influence that included health care staff, family, friends, and organizations. This analysis provides a better understanding of how older adults use technologies to support their health and can guide the provision of appropriate health technologies for them.

The increase in the population of older adults is becoming a global urban problem due to increasing health and welfare needs. Innovations in home-based care technologies offer new approaches to delivering care, reducing costs, and supporting aging in place. However, it appears that there are various influencing factors in relation to the adoption and use of technologies by older adults. This research aims to explore the nature of these factors as well as to evaluate and understand if they influence how older adults approach the adoption of home-based care technologies. Addressing this question could help understand the acceptance and identify the education and training needs required for the use of modern technologies by older adults. To achieve this, we used the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and adopted a qualitative approach. Findings identified some of the key factors influencing older adults' intention to use technologies, including perceived need, social network, self-efficacy, anxiety and attitude towards technology. These factors were not originally evaluated in the UTAUT model; these emerged from the interpretative approach taken on the concerns and perceptions noted by the older adults interviewed. This result provides evidence for the requirement to expand the standard UTAUT model previously used to understand technology adoptions. We argue that the University of the Third Age plays a critical role in enabling senior citizens' knowledge and therefore helping their intention to use these technologies.

BACKGROUND Many older adults now use technologies such as wearable devices and telehealth services to support their health and well-being while living independently at home. However, older adults vary in how they use these technologies, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding the motivations that influence their acceptance and use of health-related technologies in home environments. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to understand the types of technologies that older adults use to support their health and the factors that motivate them to use their chosen technologies to support their health. In addition, we aimed to understand the factors that enable the effective use of technologies for health self-management and to identify the barriers that can negatively affect the adoption of technologies. METHODS A total of 22 older adults participated in semistructured interviews regarding their experiences of using technologies for health self-management. Interview transcripts were analyzed through an in-depth thematic analysis. RESULTS The interviews revealed that a range of technologies, such as videoconferencing software, fitness trackers, and other devices, were being used by older adults to support their health. Interviews showed that participants were motivated to use technologies to monitor health issues, to stay active and connected, and to record and change their behavior in the light of foreseen risks related to their future health status. Enablers that facilitated the effective use of technologies include social and organizational influence, convenient access to health care and safety provided by the technology, and easy setup and low cost of the technology. Barriers include information overload and a sense of futility about future health decline; telehealth being an inadequate substitute for in-person consultation; concerns about trust related to privacy and accuracy; and technologies being stigmatizing, uncomfortable to use, expensive, and unfamiliar. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that older adults were using a variety of technologies to prevent or prepare for future health decline, evidencing a resilient attitude toward health and aging. In addition, older adults were willing to continue using the technology when there was a perceived need. The enabler mentioned by most participants was the social and organizational influence that included health care staff, family, friends, and organizations. This analysis provides a better understanding of how older adults use technologies to support their health and can guide the provision of appropriate health technologies for them.