scholarly journals Gaming Technology to Support Leisure Activities Among Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 559-559
Author(s):  
Walter Boot

Abstract There has been a great deal of research on technology to support older adults in their performance of Activities and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. There has been substantially less research, however, on exploring technology solutions that support hobbies and leisure. This is unfortunate, as quality of life and well-being are determined by more than just one’s ability to manage everyday tasks. An overview will be presented of research the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) has conducted over two decades with the goals of understanding and supporting older adults’ performance of technology-based leisure activities. Many of these studies have involved videogaming, where there exists a substantial age-related digital divide. CREATE has evaluated older adults’ attitudes and game experiences through survey and research studies and has even recorded longitudinal gameplay. How these findings can be applied to support technology-based leisure activities will be expanded upon. Part of a symposium sponsored by Technology and Aging Interest Group.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 105-112
Author(s):  
Maria Claudia Ionescu ◽  
Andreea Stan

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many lives and has a considerable social and economic impact. In response to this crisis, governments have implemented a series of protection measures: lockdown, social distancing, wearing a mask etc. Studies and statistics on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic indicate low levels of mental and physical well-being, depression, fear of uncertainty, increasing inequality due to job loss, increased stress due to financial matters, social isolation etc. The current study has two main objectives: to explore Psychology students’ perceptions on changes in their quality of life, by comparing two periods of time: before and during COVID-19 pandemic and to identify differences in students’ perceptions on changes in their quality of life, according to their COVID-19 disease status. We designed a questionnaire including different aspects of quality of life, based on WHO Quality of Life - Bref (WHOQOL- BREF) (2004). Results have indicated that the main changes are related to opportunities for leisure activities, ability to concentrate, ability to perform daily living activities, mobility, capacity for work, feeling safe, and having enough money.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-65
Author(s):  
Qaim Ali ◽  
◽  
Maheen Aftab ◽  
Sara Arshad ◽  
◽  
...  

Abstract: Objective: Functionality and quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis undergoing total arthroplasty of the knee. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in Ziauddin hospital, Karachi from April 2018 until August 2018, making up 40 individuals who have osteoarthrosis of the knee with an indication for total arthroplasty and not being carriers of any other disease affecting the limbs lower. Two scales of evaluation were applied at two different times: pre and postoperative. Health status questionnaire (SF-36) and Knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) was applied and answered in the preoperative period (on the day of surgery) and the sixth postoperative week. Results: Regarding the dimensions of activities of daily living and activities, sporting and leisure activities were not statistically significant. Our results go against the conclusions reported by Culliton [1], in a study of 13 patients submitted to TKA. The participants were evaluated before the arthroplasty and four weeks later and the results showed that there was a tendency for pain to decrease in that period. Conclusion: It can be concluded that there was a tendency to decrease pain in this period accompanied by an improvement in the quality of life. Taking into account the results obtained, and stressing the concept that quality of life is related to the state of health of the person and that pain and functional limitation caused by OA negatively influence the well-being and the performance of the activities of the person's daily life, it can be concluded that the TCA contributes to the improvement of the performance of the person. Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Joint, Arthroplasty, Articular cartilage, Osteoarthrosis, Knee injury, QoL.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sangeetha Tharmathurai ◽  
Abdul Satar Huwaina ◽  
Yaakub Azhany ◽  
Asrenee Abd Razak ◽  
Jemaima Che-Hamzah ◽  
...  

Background: Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is an age-related chronic optic neuropathy causing progressive constriction of visual field, which compromised quality of life (QoL) of older adults. Objective : The study aims to determine the QoL according to the severity of visual field using Bahasa Malaysia version of the Glaucoma Quality of Life- 36 (Glau-QoL 36) in older adults with POAG in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia: Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, and Hospital Selayang, Selangor. POAG patients who were ≥ 60 years old at the time of recruitment had minimal cataract, underwent cataract or trabeculectomy surgery at least 3 months prior and were on medical and surgical treatment. The severity of POAG was based on the modified Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS) score on two reliable reproducible Humphrey visual field SITA program 24-2 analysis. Face to face, one-on-one interview was conducted using validated Bahasa Malaysia version of GlauQol 36. Results : A total of 360 older adults with POAG were recruited. Majority were between ages 60-67 (38.3%) with 64 (17.8%) mild, 93 (25.8%) moderate, 115 (31.9%) severe POAG and 88 (24.4%) end-stage severity of POAG. The majority of the recruited patients were not working (88.9%) and live with their families (68.1%). There was a significant association between GlauQoL 36 score of all domains: daily living, driving, physiological well-being, self-image, anxiety, burden of treatment and confidence in healthcare with the severity of POAG (p<0.001). Increased severity of POAG was associated with decreased QoL in all GlauQoL 36 domains except confidence in healthcare. There was also a significant increase in dependency, with a majority of the end-stage were living with their families (p<0.001). Conclusions: QoL and independency of older adults with POAG decrease with worsening of visual field defect. Addressing the problem of visual-related activities in older adults with POAG may reduce their dependency and QoL. Happy living is important to lead to healthy living among older adults with POAG.


Author(s):  
Marielle Cristina Gonçalves Ferreira ◽  
Luiz Fernando Rangel Tura ◽  
Rafael Celestino da Silva ◽  
Márcia de Assunção Ferreira

Abstract Objective: to identify the activities performed by older adults as part of the Rio Health Gym Program in their daily lives, and analyze the contributions of these practices to their health and quality of life. Method: a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study was conducted using interviews with 30 older adults who attended a health center in the city of Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Lexicographic analysis was performed using the Alceste software program. Results: five lexical classes were generated. Physical and leisure activities comprised classes 2 and 3. The statements that made up the lexical classes showed that older adults carried out their daily activities with autonomy and independence. According to their assessment, the activities promote the integration of participants, increase social participation and benefit health and quality of life. They attribute their proactivity to participation in the social group. Conclusion: the activities bring diversity to daily living, increase socialization and leisure opportunities, and consequently improve the health of older people by facilitating social relationships.


Author(s):  
Daniel T. L. Shek

AbstractCOVID-19 has severely affected the world since December 2020. Because of its sudden onset and highly contagious nature, the world has responded in a “crisis management” manner. With effective vaccines almost available, it is appropriate at this time to have some reflections about COVID-19 in relation to the quality of life issues. In this paper, we highlight twelve issues for reflection, which can help us better prepared for future pandemics. These include: digital divide, health inequality, gender inequality, economic disadvantage, family well-being, impact on holistic well-being, economic development versus saving lives, consumption versus environmental protection, individual rights versus collective rights, international collaboration versus conflict, prevention of negative well-being, and promotion of positive well-being.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 517
Author(s):  
Ilia Adami ◽  
Michalis Foukarakis ◽  
Stavroula Ntoa ◽  
Nikolaos Partarakis ◽  
Nikolaos Stefanakis ◽  
...  

Improving the well-being and quality of life of the elderly population is closely related to assisting them to effectively manage age-related conditions such as chronic illnesses and anxiety, and to maintain their independence and self-sufficiency as much as possible. This paper presents the design, architecture and implementation structure of an adaptive system for monitoring the health and well-being of the elderly. The system was designed following best practices of the Human-Centred Design approach involving representative end-users from the early stages.


2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2110428
Author(s):  
Raquel A. Correia ◽  
Maria João Seabra-Santos

The relationships between siblings are the most long-lasting in families. When one of the siblings is a person with intellectual disabilities (ID), this relationship assumes an even more important role since this brother/sister will most likely become the disabled individual’s main caregiver. This pilot study had two aims: to explore the experience as an adolescent or adult sibling of a person with ID and to understand the perceptions of these siblings about quality of life as a sibling and about family quality of life. In-depth interviews were conducted with six siblings. The results showed that the experience of a sibling is positive and the acceptance process is of extreme importance. The domains which, from the sibling perspective, contribute to family quality of life are as follows: Family relationships, Acceptance, Health, Influence of values, Financial well-being, Support from others, and Leisure activities. The implications of these findings for intervention are pointed out.


1999 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 261-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J. Matheson ◽  
Cynthia L. Darlington ◽  
Paul F. Smith

Vestibular dysfunction can have a tremendous impact on an individual’s quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to determine if the level of handicap reported by individuals on the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), an inventory developed for use with individuals with complaints of dizziness symptoms, will be consistent with that reported on the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), a tool developed for use with elderly individuals that attempts to assess a person’s confidence level in performing activities of daily living (ADL’s). A sample of convenience was used consisting of 71 subjects (15 males and 56 females) from a local Balance and Vestibular Clinic. The subjects ranged in age from 26 to 88 years of age. Both the DHI and the ABC were administered as part of an initial physical therapy evaluation to new patients at the clinic. A moderately strong negative correlation was found between the scores of the two inventories ( r s = − 0.6350). The results suggest that the ABC is a valid tool for use with individuals with complaints of dizziness.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Á Szabó ◽  
Eva Neely ◽  
C Stephens

© The Author(s) 2019. Community grandparenting may promote the well-being of older adults. We examined the impact of non-kin and grandparental childcare on quality of life and loneliness using longitudinal data from 2653 older New Zealanders collected over 2 years. Providing both non-kin and grandparental childcare predicted greater self-realisation for women only and was associated with reduced levels of control and autonomy for men. Non-kin childcare was also associated with reduced social loneliness over time independent of gender. Findings suggest that non-kin grandparenting has psychosocial benefits for older adults. Surrogate grandparenting offers promising avenues for those without grandchildren to experience the benefits of grandparenting.


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