Food for Talk: Photo Frames to Support Social Connectedness for Elderly People in a Nursing Home

Abstract

Social connectedness is crucial to someone’s well-being. A case study is conducted to test whether the social connectedness of elderly people living in a nursing home and their family and friends can be improved through a photo frame. A SIM-based photo frame is used to keep the elderly people informed about the comings and goings of their loved ones. Eight elderly people living in a nursing home participated in this case study for 6-7 weeks. A content analysis of the photos revealed that the photos often were related to special events or holidays that happened in the past. Interviews indicated that the photos mainly served as food for talk, i.e. the photos initiated conversations between the elderly people mutually, with their family members and with the healthcare professionals. They all liked the photo frame and it didn’t serve as a means to exchange news, but as a catalyst to talk - mainly - about the past.

Keywords: Social connectedness, photo sharing, user evaluation

JEL Classification: I19, J14, C93