scholarly journals Design, Utilization, and Impact of Smart Voice Interventions in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 645-645
Author(s):  
Megan Huisingh-Scheetz ◽  
Louise Hawkley ◽  
Shelia Cotten
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Functional Outcomes ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Primary Input ◽  
Input Method ◽  
Design Considerations ◽  
Potential Impact ◽  
Socially Motivated

Abstract Smart voice (voice-first) devices such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home devices use speech as the primary input method and employ artificial intelligence to “act” on spoken commands. Smart voice devices are thought to reduce technology use barriers for older adults because older users can utilize a skill they already have (talking) rather than learning a new skill (typing). Therefore, smart voice may be a promising technology vehicle for delivering social and functional resources and for assessing health in the home of older adults and their caregivers. However, very little clinical research has been conducted to understand the unique design considerations, utilization, potential impact, and limitations of smart voice applications in older adults. This symposium will 1) describe research methods and results of user-driven design of smart voice materials and programming in older adults; 2) quantify the utilization and potential impact of “EngAGE,” a smart voice-based program delivering socially-motivated exercise, on functional outcomes and summarize perceived benefits and challenges to use among older adult and caregiver participants following a feasibility study; and 3) detail key findings and policy implications following pilots of “Community Hub,” a data collection voice application to detect social isolation, and “Social Check-in,” programs leveraging smart voice to aid in older adult socialization.

scholarly journals Housing, Affordability, and Community-Based Aging

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 690-691
Author(s):  
Samara Scheckler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Housing Tenure ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Housing Cost ◽  
Home Equity ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Term Care

Abstract The house acts as both an environment of care and a vehicle to financially potentiate long-term community-based support. While housing can empower a diverse set of options for a person-centered aging process, inadequate housing can also impede healthy aging in the community. This symposium teases out the nodes where housing acts to benefit or limit safe community-based aging. The first paper in this symposium, Homeownership Among Older Adults, describes typologies of older adult homeownership and sensitively highlights trends, disparities and important considerations of homeownership in later life. The next two papers take these older adults and explores situations where their housing acts as an asset or as a burden. Identifying Cost Burdened Older Adults acknowledges that housing cost burdens look different for older adults than younger cohorts. A more precise definition of older adult housing cost burden is proposed to help researchers and policymakers better synthesize the complex relationships between older adult housing and their long-term care decisions. The Long-Term Care Financing Challenge then explores the role of home equity in expanding the community-based long-term care choice set for older adults. This paper demonstrates benefits (both realized and unrealized) in home equity and suggests policy implications moving forward. Finally, Cardiometabolic Risk Among Older Renters and Homeowners disentangles the relationship between housing and health by demonstrating health disparities that are associated with housing tenure, conditions and affordability. Taken together, this symposium explores the complex and multidirectional relationships between housing, long-term care and older adult health.

scholarly journals Technology implementation in delivery of healthcare to older people: how can the least voiced in society be heard?

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne van Zaalen ◽  
Mary McDonnell ◽  
Barbara Mikołajczyk ◽  
Sandra Buttigieg ◽  
Maria del Carmen Requena ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Great Emphasis ◽  
Older Person ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Use Of Technology

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on ethical and judicial themes related to technology and the older adults.Design/methodology/approachDifferent consecutive phases in technology design and allocation will be discussed from a range of perspectives.FindingsLongevity is one of the greatest achievements of contemporary science and a result of development of social relations. Currently, various non-communicable diseases affect older adults and impose the greatest burden on global health. There is a great emphasis across Europe on caring for the older person in their own homes. Technology has a mediating role in determining the possibilities for good quality of life (QOL). The concept of assisting the older adult through the use of technology so as to access healthcare services has enormous potential. Although the potential of technology in healthcare is widely recognised, technology use can have its downsides. Professionals need to be aware of the risks, namely, those related to the privacy of the older person, which may accompany technology use.Research limitations/implicationsBy 2050, there will be more people aged over 65 than there are children. This phenomenon of global ageing constitutes a massive challenge in the area of health protection.Practical implicationsProfessionals need to be aware of the risks, for example, related to the privacy of the older person, that may accompany technology use.Social implicationsThere is a great emphasis across Europe on caring for the older person in their own homes. Technology has a mediating role in determining the possibilities for QOL.Originality/valueThe concept of assisting the older adult through the use of technology to avail of healthcare has enormous potential. Assistive technology, social media use and augmentative and alternative communication can have a positive effect on the QOL of older people, as long as they are supported enough in use of these technologies. However, ethical and juridical considerations are at stake as well.

scholarly journals Older Adult User Feedback on Design and Functionality of EngAGE, a Voice-Activated Exercise Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 267-267
Author(s):  
Yadira Montoya ◽  
Saira Shervani ◽  
Chelsea Smith ◽  
Louise Hawkley ◽  
Megan Huisingh-Scheetz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Real World ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
User Feedback ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Socially Motivated ◽  
Supporting Materials ◽  
Adult Caregiver

Abstract The EngAGE Alexa app is a socially motivated exercise program targeting older adult-caregiver dyads to promote mobility independence. EngAGE provides exercise routines that older adults can perform in the home in conjunction with a messaging component to facilitate motivation from caregivers and a tracking component to monitor progress. This presentation will describe the qualitative results that have informed the app’s design and evaluation of its feasibility and functionality following a 14-week feasibility study in 10 dyads of older adult exercisers and their caregivers. The presentation will cover the perceived benefits of EngAGE’s older adult users (including “real world” clinically relevant improvements, the comprehensiveness of the exercises, and exercise knowledge gained), as well as likes and dislikes that contributed to our assessment of the app’s functionality. Finally, we will discuss how the feedback contributes to future directions in the development of the app’s features, supporting materials, design and content.

scholarly journals 142 Improving Functional Outcomes During Covid-19 for Both COVID-19 and Non COVID-19 Positive Older Adults Through the Introduction

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i12-i42
Author(s):  
F Roberts ◽  
K Birmingham ◽  
L Darlison ◽  
K Hertzberg ◽  
K Chapman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Functional Outcomes ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Discharge Plan ◽  
Medical Clearance ◽  
Elderly Mobility

Abstract Purpose To improve the functional outcomes of older adults presenting to the Health and Ageing wards during the COVID-19 pandemic through a focussed rehabilitation list. The intended benefits to the older adult and service were for: 1. Daily rehabilitation input for older adults. 2. Older adults to spend less time immobile. 3. Ongoing rehabilitation intervention while awaiting medical clearance for discharge. 4. Increased staff satisfaction 5. Better outcomes on discharge. 6. Rehabilitation ethos on the Health and Ageing wards. Methods The quality improvement project was carried out using the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle. Three iterative PDSA cycles were carried out over the course of the project to deliver proactive interventions as a result of analysis of baseline data and stakeholder involvement. These interventions were aimed at developing communication around the rehabilitation list within the team and sustainability of this list. Results The project resulted in better functional outcomes for older adults and increased staff morale. Between May 2020–June 2020, a total of 56 patients were seen on the rehabilitation list, with 84% of these patients seeing improvements in their Elderly Mobility Scores (EMS). 27% of patients on the rehabilitation list saw a change to their initial discharge plan, either needing reduced packages of care or reduced need for ongoing rehabilitation in an external setting. Conclusions The quality improvement project found that with focussed rehabilitation older adult inpatients with or without COVID-19 can make significant functional gains. These gains have wider effects on their outcomes on discharge and also for the service through increased morale and job satisfaction. Due to demand and capacity issues in the acute setting, older adults who would often benefit from ongoing input are not always reviewed regularly. This project demonstrates that with focussed rehabilitation older adults can improve and achieve better functional outcomes.

scholarly journals The Association Between Older Adult Technology Use and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 567-567
Author(s):  
Brittany Drazich ◽  
Nancy Perrin ◽  
Laura Samuel ◽  
Melissa diCardi Hladek ◽  
Sarah Szanton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Personal Communication ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Communication Activity ◽  
Healthcare Communication ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic may impact the mental health of older adults, but technology use may buffer this impact. This study aimed to 1) examine changes in older adult technology use during the COVID-19 pandemic and 2) determine if technology use moderates the relationships between decreased in-person communication/activity and the mental health of older adults during the pandemic. Data were taken from the NHATS COVID-19 Round 10 (n= 3,188). Older adults engaged in more technology-based activity (b= .237, p<0.001), technology-based healthcare communication (b=.112, p<0.001), and technology-based food acquisition (b= .214, p<0.001) during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to before. Technology use did not moderate the relationship between decreased in person personal communication (b= .021, p= 0.662)/activity (b= .045, p= 0.749) and mental health during the pandemic. Although older adults are utilizing technology more during the pandemic, it might not be protective against negative mental health outcomes from physical distancing.

scholarly journals Older Adult Technology Use During a Global Pandemic: A Study of Mental Health, Social Supports, and Resiliency

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 219-220
Author(s):  
Geunhye Park ◽  
Erin Robinson ◽  
Gashaye M Tefera
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Video Interface ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Older adults have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led many to isolate during this time. Technology enables people to remain connected, however little is known about how older adults have used technology and the impact it has had on their mental health and connectedness. This study was to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced older adult mental health and social connectedness, with a particular emphasis on how technology has played a role. One-on-one interviews (N=29) were conducted with adults aged 65+ (Mean age=71.5; 86% female) via phone/Zoom. Participants were asked open-ended questions about the impact social distancing has had on their quality of life, health, and social connectedness as well as their technology use to remain connected. Findings highlight the mental health stressors experienced by older adults during the pandemic, as well as much resiliency and innovation. In speaking of the isolation and its effect on her mental health, one participant said, “I thought fighting cancer was bad, but this is worse.” Nearly all of the participants had used technology in some form to remain connected to others, which the most common being a smart phone to call, text, and video-interface. One participant commented, “You can’t beat an iPhone. How in the world could we ever live without an iPhone?” Many participants had learned a new technology during the pandemic, such as Zoom. Our findings raise the possibility that technology may be a good strategy for enhancing well-being of aging population amid the pandemic.

Talk or Walk? Gait Speed over Self-Report in Association with Cognitive Speed in Healthy Older Adults

GeroPsych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-52
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Costello ◽  
Shane J. Sizemore ◽  
Kimberly E. O’Brien ◽  
Lydia K. Manning
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Gait Speed ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Subjective Report ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Relative Value ◽  
Cognitive Speed ◽  
Age Range

Abstract. This study explores the relative value of both subjectively reported cognitive speed and gait speed in association with objectively derived cognitive speed. It also explores how these factors are affected by psychological and physical well-being. A group of 90 cognitively healthy older adults ( M = 73.38, SD = 8.06 years, range = 60–89 years) were tested in a three-task cognitive battery to determine objective cognitive speed as well as measures of gait speed, well-being, and subjective cognitive speed. Analyses indicated that gait speed was associated with objective cognitive speed to a greater degree than was subjective report, the latter being more closely related to well-being than to objective cognitive speed. These results were largely invariant across the 30-year age range of our older adult sample.

Computer Technology Use and Attitudes Among Older Adults

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Wadley ◽  
Rachel Benz ◽  
Martha Frankel ◽  
David Ball ◽  
Daniel Roenker
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Computer Technology ◽  
Technology Use

Prescription of Exercise in Older Adults, Physiotherapeutic Approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Exercise Prescription

• Identify the changes related to aging that must be taken into account for the prescription of the exercise • Define the appropriate functional assessmentsforthe prescription of the exercise in the older adult • Recognize the factors that influence the adherence to exercise by older adults • Describe according to the objectives the correct exercise prescription for older adults.

Biopsychosocial Patterning of Multimorbidity and Its Consequences

2018 ◽  
pp. 220-236
Author(s):  
Elliot Friedman ◽  
Beth LeBreton ◽  
Lindsay Fuzzell ◽  
Elizabeth Wehrpsann
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Functional Outcomes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chronic Medical Conditions ◽  
Quality Of Life Research ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Over Time

By many estimates the majority of adults over age 65 have two or more chronic medical conditions (multimorbidity) and are consequently at increased risk of adverse functional outcomes. Nonetheless, many older adults with multimorbidity are able to maintain high levels of function and retain good quality of life. Research presented here is designed to understand the influences that help ensure better functional outcomes in these older adults. This chapter presents findings that draw on data from the Midlife in the United States study. The independent and interactive contributions of diverse factors to multimorbidity and changes in multimorbidity over time are reviewed. The degree that multimorbidity increases risk of cognitive impairment and disability is examined. The role of inflammation as a mediator is considered. Multimorbidity is increasingly the norm for older adults, so better understanding of factors contributing to variability in multimorbidity-related outcomes can lead to improved quality of life.

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