Background
A design research project to explore what seniors need to age well in their own homes. We started the research with a theory that medical care alone isn't sufficient to meet our senior's needs. Kaiser Permanente will need to partner with social care organizations to holistically serve our aging population.
process
RESEARCH
We combined a myriad of traditional and non-traditional research techniques. We conducted analogous interviews with NASA, Burning Man, and the Honolulu Zoo. We met the world's oldest Hula Masters, ages 87 and 89, who are still thriving and active in the hula community. We sent cultural probe kits to seven different countries to gain an international perspective on aging. We met seniors and caregivers in their homes to learn what was most important at their age; the oldest senior was 99 years old.
INSIGHTS
We synthesized all of the research data into "5 Social Ingredients." These are the necessary components for seniors to age well in their communities - the social determinants of aging.
5 Social Ingredients
Purpose: Purpose doesn't retire.
Interaction: Warning: isolation kills.
Caregivers: Invisible care team members.
Finances: Money rules.
Planning: Hazards up ahead.
VIDEO
I created this video to animate how these 5 Social Ingredients can be used as a lens to evaluate a senior’s ability to age well in his community.
Watch this video here.
Impact
We've presented and distributed the insights and videos to leaders and experts throughout Kaiser Permanente and beyond. This project was featured in a 4-part "Series on Aging" hosted jointly by the Innovation Learning Network and Continuum.
These insights have taken on a life of their own. They are used as a common language for organizations, beyond Kaiser Permanente, to address aging in the community. To inspire Kaiser Permanente to further develop these insights into an actionable tool, I created this inspirational prototype.
