Research on Design Strategies for Elderly Cognitive Health Products based on the Active Health Concept
With the trend toward smaller family structures, the population of elderly individuals living alone with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is growing significantly. While coping with the decline in physiological functions such as memory, they often experience profound loneliness and social disconnection. However, existing health products for the elderly tend to have a “medical device” appearance, with functions limited to passive monitoring or daily living assistance. Such designs, which neglect psychological defense mechanisms, are prone to triggering feelings of stigma and resistance to use. Moreover, data silos between devices and a lack of emotional interaction make it difficult to truly preserve the dignity of older adults. To address this, this paper reconstructs the design philosophy of smart health products based on the concept of “Active Health,” elevating the underlying logic of age-friendly design from mere “physiological compensation”to “psychological dignity preservation.” The study proposes four core strategies: implicit intervention integrated into daily household items, emotionally interactive design for psychological comfort, non-intrusive autonomous assistance that eliminates a sense of surveillance, and human-machine symbiosis models promoting two-way companionship. Through environmental empowerment and digital connectivity, this paper explores the paradigm shift of health services from cold “instrumental rationality” to warm “humanistic care.” Finally, a multi-dimensional evaluation framework is constructed, covering functional usability, safety, psychological support, and environmental harmony, aiming to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for future innovation in health product development and design ethics governance.
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