Caring for data in later life
The datafication of ageing as a matter of care
Recent publication
Researchers investigated experiences with the use of algorithm-based fall sensors in Austrian nursing homes. They conducted qualitative interviews with programmers, developers of fall sensors, caregivers and elderly nursing home residents, as well as observations in the relevant setting. Vera Gallistl from the KL Competence Centre for Gerontology and Roger von Laufenberg from the Vienna Centre for Social Security shed light on how the AI system was trained. Due to a lack of real-world material, artificial data was used to train the algorithm. In their open access article, published in the journal Information Communication and Society, the researchers point to the (over)emphasis on one aspect of ageing in the specific example. While the technology focuses on the physical behaviour of the residents, their views and engagement with the application are hardly addressed.
Gallistl V, von Laufenberg R. Caring for data in later life – the datafication of ageing as a matter of care. Information Communication and Society. 2023 Nov 7. doi: 10.1080/1369118X.2023.2279554
Dr. Vera Gallistl-Kassing BA MA
Scientific Staff (PostDoc)
Division of Gerontology and Health Research
