I conducted this interview with my grandmother, Muriel, to learn about her day-to-day life and how she could use technology to stay independent for as long as possible.
Ethnography Summary: User
February 26, 2017
Skype Video from Mission Viejo, CA
Conducted by Rob
User Characteristics: “Caretaker Carl”
Grandmother, matriarch, widow
Female, age 85
Constant care for spouse until 2016
Retired nurse, lonely recent widow
What drives her?
Family, celebrating events and achievements of children and grandchildren, community involvement
What is her biggest point of pain?
Lack of direction without husband, lack of direct family contact, growing discomfort with body as she ages
Memorable quotes:
“I miss Tom, but mostly I miss having the family around, I miss our big house and our big parties.”
“My grandchildren are everything to me, I want to see more of them”
“I’m not afraid of technology, but I don’t have the time to learn to use it”
Top 3 Takeaways:
- Interested in more communication with the family
- Relies on community for happiness and positivity: local coffee shop is crucial to daily routine
- Hates the idea of assisted living, saw sister go through that process and does not want it
Activities
- Morning walk to coffee shop
- Interactions with friends, baristas, other regulars at the café
- Afternoon lunch at home, call to one of her children to talk and hear updates
- Late afternoon television, gardening, preparing dinner
- Dinner often alone, with TV in living room
- Reading then early to bed
Environment
- Coffee shop is preferred comfort zone, quiet and familiar
- New apartment is small and cozy, but lonely and quiet
- Television, living room, kitchen are central focus of life
Interactions
- Coffee shop welcomes her happily, warmly, friendly ever day
- Knows her ‘regular’ order and just serves it to her at her favorite seat without asking
- She has friends and fellow elderly who relax and enjoy their mornings at the café
- Meets new people in the café and knows every employee by name
Objects
- Coffee cup, two to three per day
- Television is main source of company at home
Users
- Other independent elderly at the coffee shop
- Regular doctor visits, once per month
- Children and grandchildren, on average once a week
- Was spouse daily until he passed, as widow now much more lonely