Smart or Wise?
Exploring (Technodigital) Domesticity in Home Environments of Older Adults
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Submission date: 2025-09-23
Final revision date: 2026-03-18
Acceptance date: 2026-04-23
Publication date: 2026-06-29
Polish Sociological Review 2026;234(2):285-310
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
This article examines the role of technodigital objects in the homes of older adults (66+) in Warsaw,
focusing on how smart and non-smart objects shape “aging in place.” Using Participatory Action Research—
including in-depth interviews, VR experiments, and participant photography—the study explores how seniors
use “wise” and nostalgic objects together or instead of smart technologies. The research highlights the interplay
between “smart” and “wise” concepts of home. By analyzing appliances, medical devices, and nostalgic items, we
demonstrate how generational habitus and accumulated wisdom coalesce with smart technologies in technodigital
domesticity. Ultimately, the paper provides a nuanced framework for understanding the corporeal-material aspects
of aging, showcasing the interplay of nostalgia and wisdom with smart technologies at home.
FUNDING
Project “Learning for old age and aging. Intergenerational education in a relational approach,”No. D00005562, funded by the Ministry of Education and Science.