Sehrish Akhtar

Sehrish Akhtar serves as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Part-time Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University. Her academic work centers on technology-driven solutions for social challenges in elderly care and inequality. She is embedded within the 'Living conditions, health, work and social inequality' research group, collaborating with institutional partners including the City of Oslo Nursing Home Agency (SYE) and No Isolation.

Her research spans Gerontechnology, Social Connectedness in Elderly Care, and Welfare Technology implementation, with emphasis on participatory design alongside older adults. Key projects include adapting KOMP telepresence technology for nursing homes to combat loneliness ('Safe and Simple Point of Contact with Relatives') and cultural analysis of telepresence as loneliness solutions ('Virtual Presence'). She prioritizes user-centered approaches that bridge technological capabilities with social needs in vulnerable populations.

Publication trends reveal a methodological shift from qualitative cultural analysis (2023) toward mixed-methods evaluation of technology efficacy in care settings (2024-2025). Her work consistently addresses social isolation through digital inclusion frameworks, examining how tools like KOMP mediate family connections while navigating institutional constraints in elderly care. Emerging research extends into interprofessional collaboration dynamics within educational systems.