It is a matter of convenience: why welfare technologies have become domesticated in Swedish eldercare

This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the domestication of welfare technology in eldercare. Our study found that eldercare personnel engage with and interpret welfare technologies by ascribing meanings related to perceived convenience - a concept not widely explored in this context. Welfare technologies were often seen as convenient substitutes for physical proximity and relational care, such as "remote surveillance convenience" through cameras and "comforting convenience" via robotic pets. However, convenience, while central to the participants' experiences, should not be understood as inherently "good" or positive but as part of the domestication process, shaped by socio-technical contexts and the political economy of eldercare, which prioritises effectiveness and efficiency. By shedding light on these dynamics, our study examines how the domestication of welfare technology is shaped by and reinforces broader discourses of technological solutionism, raising questions about its long-term impact on care practices.