Towards Enhancing Older Adults’ Medication Self-Management through Smart Packaging
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In 2018, 18% of Great Britain’s residents were aged 65 and above, with 50% of this demographic failing to adhere to prescribed medications. Medication non-adherence not only jeopardizes patient health but also imposes significant burdens on healthcare systems, such as increased hospitalizations and care costs. In this paper, the potential of smart packaging to enhance medication self-management for older adults is explored. Furthermore, the critical gaps in existing UK market solutions are identified, which often lack user-centric design features tailored to older adults, particularly those managing complex medical regimens and experiencing rapidly evolving health conditions. Through a combination of literature review, market gap analysis, and direct user interviews, in this study barriers older adults face, including unclear instructions, poor labeling, and difficulties with current pill dispensers due to cognitive and physical impairments are highlighted. Findings underscore the need for personalized, context-aware solutions to improve medication adherence and user engagement. In this paper, authors propose a framework for smart packaging designed to meet the diverse needs of older adults. This includes user-friendly features such as enhanced labeling with vision-aware colors and bold fonts, intuitive instructions, and digital tools like QR codes for real-time information and connectivity with caregivers. These innovations aim to empower older adults, foster medication adherence, and reduce dependency on healthcare providers. By bridging the gap between user needs and product capabilities, the contribution of this study is in advancing in-home healthcare solutions tailored to an ageing population. The work presented in this paper provides actionable insights for healthcare providers, designers, and policymakers to develop inclusive technologies that address the evolving challenges of medication management in ageing societies.
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