Creating an Empathy Exercise
In order to better feel and empathize with people in their 70's, I conducted this experiment.
What does it feel like to be:
What does it feel like to be:
- Be technologically impaired
- Lack a home computer or internet
- Not have a smartphone
- Completely rely on others for mobility and tech support
- Lose your spouse
- Be visually impaired
- Live in a retirement home
- Have arthritic hands, knees, bad back
- Be battling a life threatening illness and have unexpected good and bad days
Empathy Exercise Brainstorming
Technology
- Live a day without email, apps or SMS. Phone calls only. See how it changes my ability to contact family or services (ie maps).
- Talking very slowly, call and ask for technical support on something that I myself am challenged by. Say I don’t have internet or access to a computer.
- Turn off my internet then call family for help in fixing netflix on the TV. Feel what it’s like to have to rely on family to call you back, walk you through troubleshooting.
Finding social opportunities
- Without using google or a computer, find volunteer opportunities in my area. How do I find out more about ones I’m interested in? Call them and ask how I could help.
- Are they welcoming if I have mobility or visual impairments?
Physically Impaired
- Be wheel-chair bound. Rely on a friend to drop me somewhere (ie the mall, bookstore, grocery store) and see what it’s like to do tasks.
- What’s it like to go shopping while visually impaired? Ask for help from people.
The Plan
Experience what it’s like to be visually impaired and have arthritis in my left hand.
Experience what it’s like to be visually impaired and have arthritis in my left hand.
- Tape up my left hand, allowing for small thumb & forefinger movements
- Take off my glasses
- Perform tasks like doing the dishes, shopping for groceries, and talking to the pharmacist. (Note - I put my glasses on for driving)
- I will interact with patrons at the stores I go to
Highlights
Overall themes I felt and observed:
- Everything took longer
- Everyday tasks were painful to do
- I was limited in the activities I could perform
- It was embarrassing when my impairment effected other people
As I washed dishes, I realized just how much I rely on both hands. Washing this heavy pot was very difficult. I likely wouldn't be able to own my heavy pots & pans if I had hand mobility issues. I also couldn't open a new bag of cereal - I had to get scissors and even then it was tricky.
At the grocery store, I was unable to hold the basket in my left hand, so I rested it on my arm. This was uncomfortable as it dug into my arm. Arriving home, I had trouble getting the grocery bags out of the car.
At the grocery store, I was unable to hold the basket in my left hand, so I rested it on my arm. This was uncomfortable as it dug into my arm. Arriving home, I had trouble getting the grocery bags out of the car.
I was embarrassed at the pharmacy when I had to speak to someone. Approaching the pharmacist, I couldn't see her face. I'm used to using facial cues to know when to approach, when they're unhappy or busy. I had to listen for audio cues to know when to approach.
Later when she handed me bottles, it was hard to confirm she had given me the correct prescriptions. The text was SO TINY. I wonder how the elderly read their pill bottles!?
Everything took longer to do - from getting breakfast, feeding the pets, to identifying which pizza to buy.
Everything took longer to do - from getting breakfast, feeding the pets, to identifying which pizza to buy.
Insights
Technology
Accessibility settings on the phone is required. Allow the user to increase font size and make sure it's high contrast. Many companies skip implementing these accessibility settings, but it's incredibly painful and frustrating to read something that's too tiny!
The elderly I've seen with smartphones are typically using two hands. But if they had arthritis, I imagine they would need to set the phone on a table to use it. Juggling it without a surface to put it on, you could easily drop it.
Social Activity
Limits in physical mobility and sight would impact someone's ability to volunteer or go out for social activities. You can't drive if you can't see - so they would have to take public transit or have someone drive them. The pain of arthritis may keep you up at night or bother you in the day, which could cause you to be irritable and tired. It'd be harder to have patience with people. You would have to ask for help and assistance more often, which can be embarrassing. Loss of independence could mean you avoid going out or being around others.
Opportunities
To increase social activity, opportunities arise with - finding nearby activities, ones that don't require as much mobility, having signage and website have large font (or ability to adjust to user's settings), more audio cues, and reminders. How might we help increase the font size of printed collateral (ie the pill bottles)?
Perhaps instead of an app, a call in hotline (powered by something like google assistant) could help you find volunteer opportunities nearby. To get a volunteer event into your calendar, it could sms you a calendar invite and auto-setup reminder notifications.
Accessibility settings on the phone is required. Allow the user to increase font size and make sure it's high contrast. Many companies skip implementing these accessibility settings, but it's incredibly painful and frustrating to read something that's too tiny!
The elderly I've seen with smartphones are typically using two hands. But if they had arthritis, I imagine they would need to set the phone on a table to use it. Juggling it without a surface to put it on, you could easily drop it.
Social Activity
Limits in physical mobility and sight would impact someone's ability to volunteer or go out for social activities. You can't drive if you can't see - so they would have to take public transit or have someone drive them. The pain of arthritis may keep you up at night or bother you in the day, which could cause you to be irritable and tired. It'd be harder to have patience with people. You would have to ask for help and assistance more often, which can be embarrassing. Loss of independence could mean you avoid going out or being around others.
Opportunities
To increase social activity, opportunities arise with - finding nearby activities, ones that don't require as much mobility, having signage and website have large font (or ability to adjust to user's settings), more audio cues, and reminders. How might we help increase the font size of printed collateral (ie the pill bottles)?
Perhaps instead of an app, a call in hotline (powered by something like google assistant) could help you find volunteer opportunities nearby. To get a volunteer event into your calendar, it could sms you a calendar invite and auto-setup reminder notifications.