Dr. Valerie Jones, Associate Professor at UNL was our presenter at Lincoln South Rotary Club July 22. Her topic was "The Loneliness Epidemic: Using Alexa to improve aging adults’ quality of life".
Dr. Jones asked the question - does technology make our lives better?
This has been the focus of her most recent research. She referred to other studies and books that have focused on human connection and how it impacts health and healing.
When she first starting doing research it was from a marketing perspective. She was looking at technology as a media person. But then she became interested in older citizens - could technology improve their lives.
She asked herself (and others have wondered) why? What difference does it make if we know this? She pointed out that the results can be used to help treat older individuals. If we see the challenges they are facing - can predict the direction they are going - we might be able to use technology to improve their lives. The more studies that are conducted, the more information they will have and they can begin to predict the types of people who this will help – to reduce pain, reduce loneliness
A person can live alone - and not be lonely. A person can be in a large family - and feel lonely. Loneliness is not the same for everyone. It is how a person feels or expects to feel in their daily life or in certain situations.
She worked with older adults. Her initial study was people that were 75 o 92 years of age. She said it is important that we not look at technology as only fitting certain demographics. Alexa can be used by people with deteriorating eye sight or those that have a difficult time typing. You can talk to / with Alexa almost like a person. She said that we need to consider technology as a solution regardless of a person's age or income.
In one study the participants were asked to perform from a list of options - do something 5 times a day. In another study they were asked to perform from that same list - 10 times a day. They found that loneliness was significantly reduced with more interaction.
Though they have always conducted exit interviews, the next actions - the next study - was always determined from the top down. With her upcoming study she will have the participants actively participate in the design of the next study or program. Those people will help create a guide to connect people through technology.
The study focused on older adults because of our aging population. Not only age but disease causes health issues, depression and suicide increases. By 2060 it is calculated that Americans 65+ will double. Interactive Communication Technology (ICT) can help reduce loneliness and create social connection and help us keep those individuals healthier and happier.
BIO:
Valerie Jones began her career as a media strategist in the San Francisco office of Starcom Worldwide, a Publicis Company. She learned everything she could about the audiences of clients such as E! Entertainment Television and the style. Network, discovering what they liked to do, how they viewed themselves and how they viewed the world and developed multimedia plans and branded content to engage them. Jones developed a specialization in the digital space and moved to Starcom’s headquarters in Chicago to join its interactive division as a senior manager, creating online media strategies for brands such as Kellogg, Showtime and Nintendo. She launched Smart Start through branded content with Discovery Health and WebMD, developed word-of-mouth advertising campaigns for the new Smorz product and forged new partnerships with Cartoon Network to create advergames for Apple Jacks. Recognizing the growing videogaming trend, she made the jump to the sales side, selling online media for Fox Interactive’s IGN Entertainment.
In 2006, Jones returned home to Nebraska to keep doing what she loved: helping clients build brands and connect with consumers through digital and social media. She put her experience to work as an associate director at Bailey Lauerman, developing award-winning multimillion dollar communication plans for clients such as Allstate, Union Pacific, Disney and TierOne Bank as well as pro bono client Autism Family Network. Media plans ranged from mobile and guerilla marketing to digital and traditional advertising.
As head of Insights and Analytics at Swanson Russell, she created content strategies, search engine marketing campaigns and website analytics reports for clients such as Scotts, the University of Southern California and BlueCross BlueShield Nebraska. Jones then applied her expertise at Kenexa where, as director of employment branding, she focused on developing and promoting employer brands such as Cabela’s, Chrysler and Whirlpool through digital, social and traditional media. Prior to joining University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Jones opened her own consulting business, Red Rover Media, that specialized in developing clients’ branding and content strategies and creating targeted digital, social and traditional media plans that attract and engage the modern consumer.
Jones graduated from Northwestern University with bachelor’s degrees in communication studies and sociology and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications. She earned a Ph.D. in educational studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
