Embedding Agetech in Occupational Therapy Education: Reflections on Curriculum Development
A. Flynn.
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AbstractPurpose Occupational therapy practice is continually shaped by the increasing adoption of agetech. This expands the role of occupational therapists into emerging areas of practice such as technology design, development and implementation [1]. However, research suggests a gap exists in training occupational therapy practitioners to support service users' digital competence and integrate technology into practice [2]. This reflective account examines the development and early implementation of a 'Technology Advances in Occupational Therapy' teaching unit at a UK higher education institution, designed to prepare Level 6 BSc Occupational Therapy learners for emerging roles such as agetech. Beyond equipping graduates to prescribe assistive technologies, the unit aims to position occupational therapists as active contributors to technology design, development and implementation, particularly for older people and people living with dementia. Method This work adopts a reflective practice methodology, drawing on Schön's framework of reflection-on-action [3] to critically examine curriculum development and early delivery experiences. The unit was developed using a reflective curriculum design approach, integrating agetech case scenarios across technology design, development and implementation phases. Older adult representatives contributed lived experience perspectives, ensuring authenticity and co-production principles. The Human Activity Assistive Technology (HAAT) model [4] provided the theoretical framework, with agetech examples applied throughout. As unit lead, developer and agetech researcher, the author systematically reflected on the curriculum design, drawing on preliminary learner engagement observations, informal feedback and personal teaching reflections to identify emerging pedagogical opportunities and challenges. Results and discussion Preliminary reflections suggest learners engage meaningfully with agetech content when grounded in real-world scenarios and lived experience input. Challenges identified include balancing theoretical foundations with practical application and preparing learners for roles that extend beyond traditional technology prescription. Questions remain about how best to equip occupational therapists for participation in design, user experience and implementation research. Rather than presenting formal empirical findings, this reflective account offers practice-based insights from an emerging area of curriculum development. This presentation invites dialogue with gerontechnology academics about strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding agetech education across allied health professions curricula.Keywords: Agetech, occupational therapy education, dementia, curriculum development, co-production
A. Flynn. (2026). Embedding Agetech in Occupational Therapy Education: Reflections on Curriculum Development. Gerontechnology, 25(s),1-1
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2026.25.2.1406.3