The design of pain management and creative service for older adults with chronic disease

Abstract

Chronic Disease is expected to affect approximately 3 million older adults by the year 2030 in Taiwan. It is one of the top causes of disability, mobility problems, and chronic pain among older adults. With so many individuals affected, it is important to identify how to effectively manage the pain associated with chronic pain disease. The purpose of the present research was to understand the factors and needs critical to the successful management of chronic pain and to create the management and service tools currently available to the older adults. We conducted structured interviews with subject matter experts, target user, and brainstorming for the pain management development. All of the process reviewed were found to be current chronic problem pain lacking in several key areas, such as failing to include critical variables and difficulty integrating the data collected into a meaningful representation of one’s pain experience. Resolving these issues will improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from chronic pain. The researches provides 3 pain care system concepts through the convenience of household devices combined with cloud computing technology, touch interface and information design (The Pain Tracker, The Pain Helper, The Pain Exerciser). According to older patients with chronic pain, considering the both of physiological and psychological part of the demand to conduct innovative service design, the health care self-management concept will enhance the better quality of life of older chronic patients.