Age and experience: ludic engagement in a residential care setting

The 'older old' (people over eighty) are a largely invisible group for those not directly involved in their lives; this project explores the ways that technology might strengthen links between different generations. This paper describes findings from a two-year study of a residential care home and develops the notion of cross-generational engagement through ludic systems which encourage curiosity and playfulness. It outlines innovative ways of engaging the older old through 'digital curios' such as Bloom, the Tenori On and Google Earth. The use of these curios was supplemented with portraiture by three local artists, nine school children and the field researcher. The paper describes four technological interventions: 'video window', 'projected portraiture', 'blank canvas', and 'soundscape radio'. These interventions attempt to reposition 'off the shelf' technologies to provide a space for cross-generational engagement The notion of interpassivity (the obverse of interaction) is explored in relation to each intervention.