Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE GDM5050

 
TITLE Environmental Gerontology and Assistive Technologies

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Gerontology and Dementia Studies

 
DESCRIPTION The population is ageing at a much faster rate than in the past. These rapidly changing demographics will have a tremendous impact on individuals, communities and society as a whole. In addition, Maltese population is predominantly ageing within urban areas. This trend will continue well into the coming decades. As we think about where older people live, work and engage socially the concept of an age and dementia friendly environmental design has emerged. This study-unit focuses on the role of the built environment in fostering healthy development and ageing across the lifespan, as well as examining how designed environments can support or limit healthy development and ageing.

Furthermore an ageing population also results in a significant increase in the number of people requiring assistance to live longer in good health. Over the past decades, researchers investigated the use of assistive technologies to maintain the ageing population’s good health and delay care dependency. Hence, this study-unit will also explore different types of assistive technologies, their application areas, and the design considerations related to such technologies, but also the ethical considerations to be taken into account while designing and implementing such systems.

Study-unit Aims:

The main aim of this study-unit is to look at the relationships between the physical, social and psychological environment and assistive technologies and the older person. It provides a critical awareness and understanding of the impact that environmental designs as well as assistive technologies have on the wellbeing of older persons. Furthermore, this study-unit discusses how modern planning and design principles can act as a positive force for the future urban challenges in the ageing world in the 21st century. Students will also be introduced to effective strategies and tools for assessing the age-friendliness of communities, spaces, and products, and translating findings from research and best practices into successful, supportive designed environments for older adults.

In addition, this study-unit aims to explore assistive technologies that work to maximize cognition (orientation, memory, organization), mobility, as well as physical, social, and visual needs as well as the concept of the “Cyber Senior” and the power of music.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- demonstrate the benefits of creating environments which are inclusive of and address the needs of older adults;
- critique age-friendly frameworks and design strategies, with the aim of developing effective approaches and practices for designing environments for older persons;
- demonstrate a working knowledge of different technologies that assist the overall needs of this population both in the home, in the community and in long term care facilities;
- define assistive technology (AT) that refers to equipment that improves the functional capabilities and wellbeing of older persons in need;
- identify how these assistive technology tools can be used to further develop social skills; and
- explain the significant role of the issues surrounding the design and use of AT that benefits people with disabilities and older adults.

2. Skills
By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- conduct environmental assessments, and consider implications for older persons;
- analyze the housing needs of older adults and private and public responses;
- evaluate the transportation needs of older adults and impact of community design;
- discuss the need for access to care and a continuum of care;
- demonstrate insight into the functioning and implications of designing, implementing and evaluating AT for an ageing population;
- explain and describe ethical considerations to be addressed while working with assistive technology for an ageing population and the importance of data governance;
- recognise the challenges of older persons that give rise to the need to use AT;
- demonstrate familiarity with the use of various assistive technologies that support participation and communication in individual sessions or in inclusion in home or care settings; and
- determine how to match assistive technology features to the individual needs of the older person.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main texts:

- Feddersen, E. & Lüdtke, I. (2014). Lost in Space. Basel/Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH.
- Joy, M. (2020). The Right to an Age-Friendly City (Vol. 14). Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press.
- Moulaert, T. & Garon, S. (2016). Age-Friendly Cities and Communities in International Comparison (Vol. 14, International Perspectives on Aging). Cham: Springer International Publishing AG.
- Pozo Menéndez, E. & Higueras García, E. (2022). Urban Design and Planning for Age-Friendly Environments Across Europe: Developing Healthy and Therapeutic Living Spaces for Local Contexts. (Future City Ser).
- Shahrestani, S. (2017). Internet of Things and Smart Environments. Cham: Springer International Publishing AG.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM1 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Christian Borg Xuereb (Co-ord.)
Jason Farrugia
Alexia Mercieca
Roberta Sultana

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit