Can Digital Technology Enhance Social Connectedness Among Older Adults? A Feasibility Study

This study examined the feasibility of a novel communication technology to enhance social connectedness among older adults in residential care. Research suggests that technology can create opportunities for social connectedness, helping alleviate social isolation and loneliness. Studies on implementation and feasibility of such technological interventions, particularly among frail and institutionalized older adults, are scant. Data were gathered in a 3-month deployment with 12 older adults, including semistructured interviews with participants and relatives/friends, psychometric scales, field observations, and usability tests. Data were analyzed with qualitative profiling, thematic analysis, and Friedman tests. The technology was a feasible communication tool, although requiring an adaptation period. Use increased perceived social interaction with ties, but increased social connectedness (meaningful social interaction) was only reported by participants with geographically distant relatives. Sense of well-being and confidence with technology was enhanced, but negative effects were also observed. Findings are useful for researchers and practitioners interested in technological interventions.

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Feasibility Study of a Tablet-Based Intervention to Enhance the Meaning in Life Among Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.984 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 256-256

Author(s):

Seok In Nam ◽

Sangyoon Han

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Acceptance Commitment Therapy ◽

Usability Tests ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Technological Interventions ◽

Health And Well Being

Abstract Recommendations to improve older adults' health and well-being focus on enhancing meaning in life through social interaction. Research studies have suggested that a tablet-based intervention can create opportunities to enhance meaning in life, thus reducing social isolation and loneliness. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of using a tablet-based intervention to enhance meaning in life among older adults. Senior Meaning in Life Enhancement (SMiLE) is a tablet-based application developed and implemented based on person-centered counseling, logotherapy, and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT). Thirty-one participants (adults aged over 65 years) were randomized for intervention (n = 15) or waitlist control (n = 16). The intervention group received a tablet with our embedded app. Participants were invited to participate in the app-based 2-month program for 30-minutes each day with the tablet. We evaluated pre-and post-semi-structured interviews, meaning in life scales, and usability tests. Data were analyzed using thematic analyses, descriptive statistics, and Mann–Whitney and Wilcoxon tests. Findings confirmed that at two months after the intervention, there was a statistically significant difference in the gap between pre-and post-meaning in life scores between the two groups (Z = -2.08, p < .05). Furthermore, qualitative findings included positive changes in behavior, relationships, and usability. This pilot study suggests the feasibility of a tablet-based intervention in older adults and demonstrates its potential benefit for meaning in life. These findings are valuable to researchers, practitioners, and designers interested in technological interventions for older adults.

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Lighting and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: Spotlight on sleep and depression

Lighting Research and Technology ◽

10.1177/14771535211005835 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 53 (5) ◽

pp. 405-422

Author(s):

MG Figueiro ◽

HC Kales

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Neurodegenerative Disease ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Well Being ◽

Pharmacological Intervention ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Positive Results

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is the collective term for a progressive neurodegenerative disease for which there is presently no cure. This paper focuses on two symptoms of the disease, sleep disturbances and depression, and discusses how light can be used as a non-pharmacological intervention to mitigate their negative effects. Bright days and dark nights are needed for health and well-being, but the present components of the built environment, especially those places where older adults spend most of their days, are too dimly illuminated during the day and too bright at night. To be effective light needs to be correctly specified, implemented and measured. Yet, without the appropriate specification and measurement of the stimulus, researchers will not be able to successfully demonstrate positive results in the field, nor will lighting designers and specifiers have the confidence to implement lighting solutions for promoting better sleep and mood in this population.

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The Effects of Technological Interventions on Social Participation of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with and without Dementia: A Systematic Review

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10112308 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2308

Author(s):

Pascale Heins ◽

Lizzy M. M. Boots ◽

Wei Qi Koh ◽

An Neven ◽

Frans R. J. Verhey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Social Participation ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Technological Interventions ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Social isolation in community-dwelling older adults with dementia is a growing health issue that can negatively affect health and well-being. To date, little attention has been paid to the role of technology in improving their social participation. This systematic review aims to provide a systematic overview of the effects of technological interventions that target social participation in community-dwelling older adults with and without dementia. The scientific databases Medline (PubMed), PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched and independently screened by two reviewers. Results were synthesized narratively. The methodological quality of included studies was independently assessed by two reviewers. In total, 36 studies of varying methodological quality were identified. Most studies evaluated social networking technology and ICT training programs. Three studies focused on people with dementia. Quantitative findings showed limited effects on loneliness, social isolation, and social support. Nevertheless, several benefits related to social participation were reported qualitatively. Social interaction, face-to-face contact, and intergenerational engagement were suggested to be successful elements of technological interventions in improving the social participation of community-dwelling older adults. Rigorous studies with larger sample sizes are highly needed to evaluate the long-term effects of technology on the multidimensional concept of social participation.

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Views on Aging and Well-Being in the Covid Crisis – A Longitudinal Study in Luxembourg

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.3513 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 961-961

Author(s):

Anna Kornadt ◽

Martine Hoffmann ◽

Elke Murdock ◽

Josepha Nell ◽

Isabelle Albert

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Health ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Individual Development ◽

Subjective Age ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Loss ◽

Physical Decline

Abstract During the Covid-Crisis, stereotypes of older adults as helpless and vulnerable were spread, and intergenerational conflict was stirred more or less openly. We thus focused on perceived ageism during the crisis and its effects on well-being and health of older adults. Since views on aging are multifaceted and can be both, risk and resource for individual development, we assessed people’s self-perceptions of aging (SPA) as social loss, continued growth and physical decline and subjective age (SA). We hypothesized that people with SPA of social loss and physical decline would be more susceptible to negative effects of perceived ageism, whereas those with SPA of continued growth and younger SA would be less affected. NT1 = 611 community-dwelling adults aged 60 – 98 (Mage = 69.92 years) were recruited in June 2020 online and via phone in Luxembourg. In September 2020, participants will be contacted again for a follow-up. Analyses with cross-sectional data show that participants who felt more discriminated reported lower life satisfaction after the onset of the crisis (r = -.35) and worse subjective health (r = -.14). SPA of social loss and higher SA increased the negative effect of ageism on well-being (beta = -.57) and subjective health (beta = -.53), respectively. Our results point to mid- and long-term consequences of age discriminatory and stereotype-based crisis communication for the well-being of older adults and the importance of individual SPA in critical situations.

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Effects of Participation in Social Activities on Cognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15102315 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. 2315 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jongnam Hwang ◽

Sangmin Park ◽

Sujin Kim

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Social Activity ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Social Activities ◽

The Social ◽

Gender Groups

Cognitive function is a critical health issue in later life, the decline of which disrupts well-being and daily life function. Cognitive decline in older ages can also be understood in the context of the social environment such as social connectedness and engagement in personal life. This study aimed to examine: (1) whether participation in social activities contributes to preventing cognitive decline, and (2) what type of social activities are beneficial to maintaining cognitive function. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA) 2006–2014, a longitudinal survey of the household-dwelling population aged 45 and older in Korea were used. The results revealed that Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores decreased with increasing age, at a rate of approximately 0.18 units across all age-gender groups, and the decrease was steeper for adults aged 65 and over. Participation in social gatherings was likely to delay the decline in cognitive function after the age of 65. In a gender-stratified model, social activity may not have an impact on the decline of cognitive function for men, whereas participation in social gatherings was negatively related to the decline of MMSE scores in women. This study suggests the need for a gender-stratified policy for preventing the decline of cognitive function while promoting engagement in social activities in Korean older adults.

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Online social connectedness and well-being among older adults in the USA

10.4337/9781788116572.00021 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 209-218

Author(s):

Travis Kadylak

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Well Being ◽

The Usa

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EXAMINING DISCREPANCIES IN SOCIAL ROBOT VERSUS HUMAN ASSESSMENTS OF GERIATRIC WELL-BEING

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1199 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S329-S329

Author(s):

Erin Harrington ◽

Ha Do ◽

Alex J Bishop ◽

Celinda Reese-Melancon ◽

and Weihua Sheng

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Fall Risk ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Geriatric Depression Scale ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Falls Prevention ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Assessment Scores ◽

Loneliness Scale

Abstract Socially assistive robotic (SAR) technologies represent a viable tool for monitoring the safety and health of older adults. However, it is unclear whether SARs can comprehensively screen geriatric well-being as effectively as trained human clinicians. The purpose of this study was to compare SAR versus human assessment of geriatric well-being. Participants included 30 older adults (Mage = 73.40, SD = 7.88) who completed a robot-administered well-being assessment session during which human-administered evaluation was simultaneously performed. Standardized clinical screening assessment tools common in geriatric care were administered (e.g., Short Blessed Test (SBT), UCLA Loneliness Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, PHQ-4, Iowa Fatigue Scale, Fall Risk). Multiple dependent sample t-tests were used to explore variability in assessment scores between SAR and human evaluation. Assessment scores significantly differed on several measures, including the SBT (t(29) = -9.33, p < .001), UCLA Loneliness scale (t(19) = 2.37, p < . 05), and fall risk assessment (t(29) = 3.03, p < .01). Specifically, the SAR indicated that older adults were significantly more cognitively impaired, less lonely, and more likely to fall compared to the human administrator. Other observed differences and hypothesized explanations will be discussed in greater detail. The current study indicates that there is a divergence in geriatric assessment outcomes based on human versus SAR administration. Findings have implications relative to further developing SAR technology to align with human-based evaluations to enhance cognitive well-being, social connectedness, and falls prevention.

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Information and communicative technology use enhances psychological well-being of older adults: the roles of age, social connectedness, and frailty status

Aging & Mental Health ◽

10.1080/13607863.2017.1358354 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (11) ◽

pp. 1516-1524 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Yang Fang ◽

Anson K. C. Chau ◽

Anna Wong ◽

Helene H. Fung ◽

Jean Woo

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Technology Use ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Frailty Status

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Enacting agency: exploring how older adults shape their neighbourhoods

Ageing and Society ◽

10.1017/s0144686x18001150 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 565-583 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Carri Hand ◽

Debbie Laliberte Rudman ◽

Suzanne Huot ◽

Rachael Pack ◽

Jason Gilliland

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Interaction ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Community Action ◽

Community Based ◽

Participatory Approaches ◽

Public Places ◽

Helping Others ◽

Neighbourhood Level ◽

Potential Benefits

AbstractWithin research on ageing in neighbourhoods, older adults are often positioned as impacted by neighbourhood features; their impact on neighbourhoods is less often considered. Drawing on a study exploring how person and place transact to shape older adults’ social connectedness, inclusion and engagement in neighbourhoods, this paper explores how older adults take action in efforts to create neighbourhoods that meet individual and collective needs and wants. We drew on ethnographic and community-based participatory approaches and employed qualitative and geospatial methods with 14 older adults in two neighbourhoods. Analysis identified three themes that described the ways that older adults enact agency at the neighbourhood level: being present and inviting casual social interaction, helping others and taking community action. The participants appeared to contribute to a collective sense of connectedness and creation of social spaces doing everyday neighbourhood activities and interacting with others. Shared territories in which others were present seemed to support such interactions. Participants also helped others in a variety of ways, often relating to gaps in services and support, becoming neighbourhood-based supports for other seniors. Finally, participants contributed to change at the community level, such as engaging politically, patronising local businesses and making improvements in public places. Study findings suggest the potential benefits of collaborating with older adults to create and maintain liveable neighbourhoods.

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