Evaluation of the remote control affordance of medicalized bed for people with mental disabilities getting older (PDO)

Abstract

Thanks the progress of medicine, the life expectancy for people with mental disorder has increased. A new population is appearing: people with mental disorder getting older (PDO). They need more care than general population. But they face with more difficulties, especially with medical devices. The aim of this article is to study the affordance of a medicalized bed remote control for people with mental disabilities getting older. 10 PDO participated to the evaluation. Data show they have lots of difficulties in using the remote of the bed: it is a very complex tool for them and they have access to too many functionalities in comparison with their needs. We propose adaptations to improve the affordance and the ergonomic of this remote control. We propose recommendation on the remote itself but also the remote operating manual.