Creating gerotechnologists: a call to action for university-based collaboration bridging gerontology and engineering.

Abstract

This paper urges universities to form interdisciplinary partnerships between gerontology and engineering programs to develop curricula, mentor students, train faculty, and engage in community outreach. The goal is to equip gerontologists and engineers to advance technologies for healthy aging. Geriatric engineering is an emerging discipline that utilizes the iterative nature of the engineering design process in the development of gerotechnology, defined as compensatory and/or assistive technologies that promote healthy aging. Considering the growth of this discipline, the establishment of interdisciplinary university-based academic partnerships is critical. The paper details a multi-faceted partnership between gerontology and engineering to include two courses on artificial intelligence and machine learning in health care, a faculty development opportunity in gerotechnology, integration of artificial intelligence in nursing homes, identifying and utilizing a dedicated lab space for gerotechnology, conceptual expansion of a simulation model home promoting living-in-place, and the expansion of student mentoring. Additionally, the authors propose a model for fostering academic collaboration. There remains a dearth of literature describing university-based academic partnerships between engineering and gerontology, despite the global growth in the older adult population and the need for innovative technology promoting healthy aging.