College of Business

The objective of this study is to identify the current state of usage and needs for Smart Technology (ST) in the elderly care facilities based on the point of view of staff members. Using survey via mails, data were analyzed with responses from top- or middle-level staff members working in 171 elderly care facilities located in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, and Chungcheongnam-do. Results indicated that the most needed smart technology was home automation, followed by nurse call system and health monitoring. The technology with the highest feasibility was health monitoring, followed by nurse call system and video phone. Staff members in higher positions working in the elderly care facilities had the highest expectation in improving the image of their facilities by using ST, while they had low expectation for the fact that ST may increase the locus of control of the elderly. This study implies that ST implementations may vary depending on the level of responsibility of staff members and ST how people responsible for the elderly care facilities subjectively perceive the ST.