How Can Municipalities Support Aging in Place using Technological Innovations? A Single-case Study in a Canadian City

Governmental planning has to reflect the worldwide shift in demographics as the proportion of older adults is rapidly growing. Concepts such as age-friendly cities and smart cities suggest that municipalities and technologies have a role to play in supporting older citizens. Still, it is not clear how municipalities can actually support aging in place via technology? This single case-study in the city of Cote Saint-Luc, Quebec, Canada gathered via eight focus groups, the perspectives of older citizens, caregivers, and representatives of the City regarding this subject. The approach of Miles et al. (2014) was used for data analysis. Stakeholders believe the City could support aging in place by helping older citizens access existing services through technology. Furthermore, the City could provide an existing infrastructure, maintain the trust of older citizens regarding privacy issues and provide appropriate technology at a cheaper cost. Nonetheless, additional resources and various partners are necessary to undertake this technological endeavour. The City's main responsibility would be related to the coordination of the new technological ecosystem comprising older citizens, their caregivers, volunteers, and partners providing services. More research involving multiple stakeholders is needed to conceptualize this technological ecosystem before implementing it in a real-world setting.