scholarly journals Challenges of Implementing the PRISM 2.0 Trial for Supporting Social Connectivity Through Technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 307-307
Author(s):  
Walter Boot ◽  
Sara Czaja ◽  
Dana Plude
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Research ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Assisted Living Facilities ◽  
Senior Housing ◽  
Social Connectivity

Abstract Following the success of the Personal Reminder Information and Social Management (PRISM) trial, which found that a specially designed computer system for older adults can enhance social connectivity and reduce loneliness among older adults at risk for social isolation, the PRISM 2.0 trial sought to replicate and extend these results to a new technology platform (tablet rather than desktop) with expanded social features and diverse populations of older adults, including older adults living in rural areas, assisted living communities, and senior housing. This symposium discusses the aims of the trial conducted by the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE), challenges encountered (including challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic), and solutions to those challenges. S. Czaja will begin with an overview of the PRISM 2.0 system and the trial. J. Sharit will discuss challenges encountered working within the context of assisted living facilities and with impaired participants. This will be followed by a discussion of technical challenges encountered during the course of the trial presented by N. Charness. W. Rogers will present training issues involved (both with respect to participants and assessors). Finally, W. Boot will describe challenges encountered with measuring and quantifying technology use during the trial. Lessons learned are applicable to many types of technology interventions administered in diverse contexts. D. Plude, Deputy Director in the Division of Behavioral and Social Research of NIA, will serve as discussant.

scholarly journals HOUSING CONTEXT AND FUNCTIONAL HEALTH AMONG LOWER INCOME OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S968-S968
Author(s):  
Noah J Webster
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Assisted Living Facilities ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Senior Housing ◽  
Multiunit Housing ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract The characteristics of where older adults live have strong links with disability. Although lower income older adults experience disability at higher rates, less is known about the link between housing characteristics and functional health in this group. A within group comparison among this population is needed to understand how aspects of this vulnerable subgroup’s housing context are associated with health outcomes. The present study examines the association between housing and functional health among a U.S. nationally representative sample of independent living (i.e., not living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities) lower income adults age 65+. Using data from round one of the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a sub-sample of N=2,865 lower income (<$15,000 in the past year) older adults was selected for analysis. Regression analyses indicate that lower income older adults living in multiunit buildings reported better functional health compared to those in other housing contexts (e.g., free-standing homes). This link also significantly varied by age and gender. Living in multiunit housing was associated with better functional health among those age 90+, not associated among those age 80-90, and was negatively associated among those age 65-79. In terms of gender, the link between multiunit housing and better functional health was only significant among women. Findings highlight variation in health across lower income older adults’ housing contexts. Potential explanatory mechanisms (e.g., social isolation) will be discussed. Such information can inform senior housing policy regarding best approaches to providing housing for older adults that optimizes and promotes independent living.

scholarly journals I Would be More at a Loss Without It: Technology as a Tool for Resilience for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 219-219
Author(s):  
Rebecca Newmark ◽  
Theresa Allison ◽  
Alexander Smith ◽  
Carla Perissinotto ◽  
Ashwin Kotwal
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Community Resources ◽  
Software Updates ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract COVID-19 associated shelter-in-place orders led to concerns about worsening social isolation and inadequate access to technology among older adults, yet little is known about technology use in this population during the pandemic. We examined older adults’ experiences with technology during shelter-in-place in order to identify lessons learned for a post-pandemic world. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 20 community-dwelling older adults in San Francisco. Two independent coders conducted concurrent data analysis using inductive and deductive approaches to identify salient themes. Participants were 78 years on average (range 64-99), 55% female, 25% Black, 75% lived alone, and 60% reported at least one ADL impairment. Technology emerged as core aspect of resilience, indicating whether older adults could navigate pandemic restrictions, with two primary themes identified. First, many participants reported discovery of new technologies to maintain or develop new connections, including Zoom-based community groups and telehealth services (“there’s all kinds of virtual programs where you can exercise”). Second, older adults were resourceful in identifying community resources and enlisting family members to learn (“I had to ask one of my granddaughters how to make the chat thing work”). Despite difficulty navigating passwords, software updates and other common obstacles, most participants expressed gratitude for technology and the connectivity made possible. Many indicated an intention to integrate new technology-based social interactions into everyday life even after restrictions ended. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the role technology can play in fostering resilience among older adults in adapting to external stressors.

scholarly journals Student-Led Fall Prevention Care Management Reduced Fall Risks at Assisted Living Facilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 238-238
Author(s):  
Hiroko Kiyoshi-Teo ◽  
Claire McKinley-Yoder ◽  
Erin Lemon ◽  
Olivia Ochoa
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Fall Prevention ◽  
Fall Risk ◽  
Care Management ◽  
Assisted Living Facilities ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Fall Risks ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Older adults in residential care settings are four times more likely than those not living in care facilities to experience falls. Yet, fall prevention efforts at long-term care settings are under-resourced, under-regulated, and under-studied. To address this gap, we developed and studied the impact of a specialty clinical, Fall Prevention Care Management (FPCM), for nursing students to decrease older adults’ fall risks. We enrolled assisted living residents that facility liaison identified as being high fall risk (fall rates or fall risk were not tracked at the study sites) and MOCA ≥15, in 2 assisted living facilities in Northwest USA. Participants received weekly, 1-hour, individual, semi-structured, Motivational Interviewing-based care management visits by same students over 6 visits. Changes in fall risks were measured by the CDC STEADI assessment (unsteadiness & worry), Falls Self-Efficacy Scale International-Short (FESI-S), and Falls Behavioral Scale (FAB). Twenty-five residents completed the study. Students addressed the following (multiple responses possible): emotional needs (n=23), improved motivation to prevent falls (n=21), and individualized education/coaching (i.e., exercise, mobility aids) (n=10-17). FESI-S score improved from 16.0 to 14.4 (p=.001; decreased fear. FAB score improved from 2.94 to 3.10 (p=.05; more frequent fall prevention behaviors). Frequency of those who felt steady while standing or walking increased (24% to 40%, p=.07) and those who did not worry about falling increased (20% to 36%, p=.08). FPCM clinical offered valuable opportunity to address unmet care needs of older adults to reduce fall risks.

scholarly journals Older Adults and Opioid Education: Lessons Learned From Experiences in Rural Arkansas

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 54-54
Author(s):  
Robin McAtee ◽  
Leah Tobey ◽  
Corey Hayes ◽  
Laura Spradley ◽  
Sajni Kumpuris
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Farm Bureau ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Agricultural Areas

Abstract Nearly one-third of all Medicare participants were prescribed an opioid by their physician in 2015 (AARP, 2017) and in 2017, Arkansas had the 2nd highest opioid prescribing rate in the nation (CDC, 2019). Approaching older adults (OA) about opioids and pain management can be a sensitive topic. Educating and altering long-term treatment with opioids is especially challenging in rural areas where literacy, especially health literacy, is suboptimal. The Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) is a HRSA Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program with an objective to improve health outcomes including an emphasis to decrease the misuse and abuse of opioids among older Arkansans. To address this crisis, the AGEC partnered with local leaders such as the AR Drug Director, academia, Department of Health and Human Services, and multiple community based organizations to create age-tailored educational programs. Unique aspects of approaching and educating rural OA about opioids and pain management will be reviewed. Outcomes will be discussed such as their lack of knowledge about: what is an opioid, why they were prescribed, and what are viable alternatives. Also discussed will be lessons learned that resulted in more effective methods of reaching and teaching rural OA. Partnering with the AR Farm Bureau helped the AGEC reach 100’s of farmers in the extremely rural and mostly agricultural areas. Learning to not use the word opioid resulted in more participants and in a more positive attitude and outlook on attempts to change the culture of opioid use, misuse and abuse among older Arkansans.

Practitioners' Opinions on Food and Nutrition Care Indicators in Assisted Living Facilities for Older Adults

2008 ◽  
Vol 108 (9) ◽  
pp. 1526-1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley Y. Chao ◽  
Johanna T. Dwyer ◽  
Robert F. Houser ◽  
Sharon Tennstedt ◽  
Paul Jacques
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Assisted Living Facilities ◽  
Nutrition Care ◽  
Food And Nutrition

Are The Leisure and Social Needs of Older Adults Residing in Assisted-Living Facilities Being Met?

2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (4_Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 7411505138p1
Author(s):  
Lisa Knecht-Sabres ◽  
Erica Del Rosario ◽  
Amanda Erb ◽  
Malgorzata Rozko
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Assisted Living Facilities

The Useful Depression Screening Tool for Older Adults: Psychometric Properties and Clinical Applicability

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 78E-87E
Author(s):  
N. Jennifer Klinedinst ◽  
Barbara Resnick
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Rasch Analysis ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Depression Screening ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Senior Housing ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Over Time

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study is to test the reliability and validity of the 3-item Useful Depression Screening Tool (UDST) for use with older adults in congregate living settings. Methods: There were 176 residents of senior housing or assisted living who completed the UDST. Rasch analysis and test criterion relationships with pain, physical activity, and depression diagnosis were used to determine validity. Test–retest reliability was conducted with 29 senior housing residents. Results: Rasch analysis demonstrated good fit of all items to the concept of depression. Criterion validity was supported, F(5) = 14.17, p < .001. Test–retest showed no significant differences in UDST scores over time (p = .29). Conclusions: The findings provide support for the validity and reliability of the UDST for use with older adults in congregate living settings.

scholarly journals AI and robotics to help older adults: Revisiting projects in search of lessons learned

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 356-378
Author(s):  
Gabriella Cortellessa ◽  
Riccardo De Benedictis ◽  
Francesca Fracasso ◽  
Andrea Orlandini ◽  
Alessandro Umbrico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Technology Acceptance Models ◽  
Key Points ◽  
New Research ◽  
And Robotics

Abstract This article is a retrospective overview of work performed in the domain of Active Assisted Living over a span of almost 18 years. The authors have been creating and refining artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics solutions to support older adults in maintaining their independence and improving their quality of life. The goal of this article is to identify strong features and general lessons learned from those experiences and conceive guidelines and new research directions for future deployment, also relying on an analysis of similar research efforts. The work considers key points that have contributed to increase the success of the innovative solutions grounding them on known technology acceptance models. The analysis is presented with a threefold perspective: A Technological vision illustrates the characteristics of the support systems to operate in a real environment with continuity, robustness, and safety; a Socio-Health perspective highlights the role of experts in the socio-assistance domain to provide contextualized and personalized help based on actual people’s needs; finally, a Human dimension takes into account the personal aspects that influence the interaction with technology in the long term experience. The article promotes the crucial role of AI and robotics in ensuring intelligent and situated assistive behaviours. Finally, considering that the produced solutions are socio-technical systems, the article suggests a transdisciplinary approach in which different relevant disciplines merge together to have a complete, coordinated, and more informed vision of the problem.

scholarly journals A Longitudinal Study of Older Adults’ Acceptance of Robot Companions and Their Effects on Well-Being

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 41-41
Author(s):  
Claudia Rebola ◽  
Bertram Malle
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Assisted Living ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Assisted Living Facilities ◽  
Good Reliability ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Robot Companions

Abstract Robotic animal-like companions for older adults are promising technologies that have shown to have health benefits, especially for individuals with dementia, and good adoption rates in some previous studies. Our project, Affordable Robotic Intelligence for Elderly Support, aims to design new capabilities for companionship and smart care, but at high affordability. In a 6-month longitudinal study of baseline acceptance and well-being, we assessed the impact of an Ageless Innovation Joy for All™ robotic pet on user acceptance and emotional well-being (depression, loneliness, positive emotions). Nineteen participants from independent and assisted living facilities completed three standardized in-person surveys, each 3 months apart, including the CES-D, measures of Loneliness, Emotions, Attitude towards Technology (ATI), and various measures of evaluation of and engagement with robotic technology. The measures showed modest to very good reliability and meaningful construct validity. Participants in this sample showed little depression or loneliness, and these levels did not further decrease over the six months. People welcomed the pet and expressed positive evaluations of it, and these sentiments were stable over time. Attitudes toward technology varied but were unrelated to well-being measures and to robot evaluations. Our current conclusion, on the basis of a small sample, is that the selected robotic pet companion is appreciated and seen as beneficial, and for adults who are already low in depression and loneliness, the robot companion helps maintain the adult’s emotional well-being but does not further increase it.

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