Smartphone and Digital Home Assistant Use Among Older Adults: Understanding Adoption and Learning Preferences

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 742-746
Author(s):  
Maurita T. Harris ◽  
Kenneth A. Blocker ◽  
Wendy A. Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Learning Preferences ◽  
Digital Home ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Smart Technologies

Smart technologies have increased dramatically within the last decade. Their availability has improved opportunities for productivity, health, and entertainment, and this is especially true for technologies that act as central hubs to link other devices and applications that expand their capabilities (e.g., smartphones and digital home assistants). Older adults may significantly benefit from integrating these devices into their lives to mitigate the various challenges they face with increasing age (e.g., cognitive, mobility changes). To understand the potential of these technologies for this population, we investigated use patterns, learning preferences, and other perceptions related to the adoption of these devices. Seventy older adult participants responded to an online survey regarding their use and preferences with smartphones and digital home assistants. The results informed our understanding of current adoption rates as well as provided key perspectives to inform their design for older adults.

Privacy Perceptions of Older Adults when Using Social Media Technologies

2015 ◽  
pp. 67-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Dumbrell ◽  
Robert Steele
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Brief Training ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Community Information ◽  
Preliminary Study

Social media technologies represent an emerging means by which older adults can access health and community information, engage in peer-to-peer information sharing, and also potentially decrease social isolation. Privacy concerns, however, have been consistently identified as a barrier for older adults' use of the Web and social media technologies. The authors conduct a preliminary study involving 150 older adult participants, investigating their use and perceptions of social media technologies. The trial involved first providing the participants with brief training in three common social media technologies: Facebook, Twitter, and Skype. The authors carried out a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the participant's use and privacy perceptions of these technologies. Overall, the results are promising as to the potential to address privacy concerns to enable older adults to further utilize these technologies for improved mental, physical, and social health. Implications for future research and usage within the older adult community are also discussed.

Privacy Perceptions of Older Adults When Using Social Media Technologies

2019 ◽  
pp. 1748-1764
Author(s):  
Dan Dumbrell ◽  
Robert Steele
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Media Technologies ◽  
Brief Training ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Community Information ◽  
Preliminary Study

Social media technologies represent an emerging means by which older adults can access health and community information, engage in peer-to-peer information sharing, and also potentially decrease social isolation. Privacy concerns, however, have been consistently identified as a barrier for older adults' use of the Web and social media technologies. The authors conduct a preliminary study involving 150 older adult participants, investigating their use and perceptions of social media technologies. The trial involved first providing the participants with brief training in three common social media technologies: Facebook, Twitter, and Skype. The authors carried out a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the participant's use and privacy perceptions of these technologies. Overall, the results are promising as to the potential to address privacy concerns to enable older adults to further utilize these technologies for improved mental, physical, and social health. Implications for future research and usage within the older adult community are also discussed.

scholarly journals AN ELDERLY’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE IMPACT OF SPIRITUALITY TOWARDS DEATH ACCEPTANCE

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 212-217
Author(s):  
Minnie Besin Mamauag
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Spiritual Beliefs ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Old Adult ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Death Acceptance

Objective: This study explored the religious or spiritual beliefs and behaviors of the elderly that could somehow translate to their level of death acceptance or lack thereof.Methods: A total of four (4) elderly participants, ages 60 and above whom meet the criteria set for this study was interviewed to assess their spiritual upbringing and experiences that resulted to their death acceptance. The study involves qualitative approach using thematic analysis. The narrative testimony of the old adult participants in this study which includes cases of older adult that believes in God, older adult having shifted from one religious organization to another, and older adults’ instilled spirituality comes from religious imprint from family members during childhood describes the three important patterns in the religious or spiritual standing of the participants.Results: The themes signified that (1) older adults are inherently religious and this nature is a subsequent factor in (2) their faith in God basing on their life experiences and life’s meaning. Furthermore, this (3) belief or faith in God offers them a sense of security and hope in the afterlife.Conclusion: These themes explain the pattern in the creation of a religious/ spiritual standing that leads to death acceptance among participants as evident in their interview results.

scholarly journals Fostering Intergenerational Connections in the time of Covid-19: A Friendly Caller Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 867-867
Author(s):  
Maria Claver ◽  
Alexandra Wilkinson ◽  
Tatia Clark ◽  
Chan Park
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Self Assessment

Abstract Social isolation affects one in five older adults, significantly increases the risk of premature death from all causes and is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. Covid-19 has exacerbated social isolation, including among older adults that reside in senior apartments. In response, a Friendly Caller Program was developed to foster intergenerational social connections among university students and residents in a large housing community that serves older adults aged 62 and older who have limited income and have mobility impairments. This study aimed to evaluate the Friendly Caller Program from the perspective of the older adult. An online survey includes questions about the participants’ demographic characteristics, physical and mental health self-assessment, social support, and ways in which the Friendly Caller Program has affected these areas of their life. An open-ended question assesses older adult participant expectations of the Friendly Caller Program. Results describe the population currently being served by this program and indicate that the program has a positive influence on participants’ feelings of safety, support and ability to function. Suggestions for future research include assessing university student perceptions about the benefits of participation as callers in the program and creating a toolkit that can guide other universities to create similar programs in partnership with housing communities that serve older adults.

scholarly journals Program Practices Predict Intergenerational Interaction among Youth and Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 794-794
Author(s):  
Shannon Jarrott ◽  
Shelbie Turner ◽  
Jill Juris Naar ◽  
Rachel Scrivano ◽  
Raven Weaver
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Participant Response ◽  
Intergenerational Interaction

Abstract Non-familial intergenerational programs engage younger and older people in shared programming for mutual benefit, frequently involving senior centers or adult day programs and preschools. With growing interest in the potential benefits of intergenerational strategies, it is imperative to know their effects on participant interaction during intergenerational programming. To address this knowledge gap, activity leaders at five sites serving older adults and/or preschoolers received training to implement 14 evidence-based practices during intergenerational activities involving 109 older adult and 105 preschool participants over four years. We utilized multi-level modeling to test whether variations in implementation of practices were associated with variations in participants’ responses to programming on a session-by-session basis. For both preschool and older adult participants, analyses revealed that the implementation of certain practices was associated with significantly more intergenerational interaction. Specifically, when person-centered best practices (e.g., leading activities that are age- and role-appropriate for older adults) were implemented, preschoolers (estimate=5.83, SD=2.11, p=0.01 and older adults (estimate=5.11, SD=.10, p=0.02) had more intergenerational interaction. Likewise, when environmental-centered best practices were implemented, such as pairing materials between intergenerational partners, preschoolers (estimate=6.05, SD=1.57, p=0.002) and older adults (estimate=6.50, SD=1.85, p=0.001) had more intergenerational interaction. Our findings reveal session-by-session variation in intergenerational interaction that can be impacted by implementation practices, which highlights the importance of training activity leaders to implement evidence-based practices. Researchers and practitioners should consider how session-by-session variation in program implementation affects participant response.

scholarly journals Acceptability and fidelity of a psychosocial intervention (PROACTIVE) for older adults with depression in a basic health unit in São Paulo, Brazil: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maiara Garcia Henrique ◽  
Maria Clara P. de Paula Couto ◽  
Ricardo Araya ◽  
Ana Vilela Mendes ◽  
Carina Akemi Nakamura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Psychosocial Intervention ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Stepped Care ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Training And Supervision ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Intervention Protocol

Abstract Background Depression is a common condition in older adults, being often detected and treated initially in primary care. Collaborative care models including, for example, task-shifting and stepped-care approaches have been investigated to overcome the current scarcity of strategies and trained mental health professionals to treat depression. The PROACTIVE study developed a psychosocial intervention, which makes extensive use of technology in an intervention delivered mainly by non-specialists to treat older adults with depression. The aim of this qualitative study is to assess: 1. Health workers’ fidelity to the intervention protocol; 2. Acceptability of the psychosocial intervention from the viewpoint of older adult participants; and 3. Perceptions of the psychosocial intervention by the health workers. Methods Qualitative methods were used to achieve our aims. The sample included participants (N = 31) receiving the intervention in the pilot trial and health workers (N = 11) working in a Basic Health Unit in the northern area of São Paulo, Brazil. Focus group, non-participant observation and structured interviews were used. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Results 1. Health workers’ fidelity to the intervention protocol: training, supervision and the structured intervention were crucial and guaranteed health workers’ fidelity to the protocol. 2. Acceptability of the psychosocial intervention from the viewpoint of older adult participants: Collaborative care, task-shifting, and stepped-care approaches were well accepted. The structured protocol of the intervention including different activities and videos was important to adherence of older adult participants 3. Perceptions of the psychosocial intervention by the health workers: It was feasible to have the home psychosocial sessions conducted by health workers, who are non-mental health specialists and received 3-day training. Training and supervision were perceived as crucial to support health workers before and during the intervention. Technology served as a tool to structure the sessions, obtain and store patient data, present multi-media content, guarantee fidelity to the protocol and facilitate communication among members of the team. However, extra burden was mentioned by the health workers indicating the need of adjustments in their daily duties. Conclusions The PROACTIVE intervention was demonstrated to be feasible and accepted by both health workers and older adult participants. The qualitative assessments suggested improvements in training and supervision to ensure fidelity to protocol. To assess effectiveness a randomised controlled trial of the intervention will be conducted with the addition of improvements suggested by this qualitative study. Trial registration The pilot study of which the present study gives support to was registered at the Brazilian Clinical Trials, UTN code: U1111-1218-6717 on 26/09/2018.

Intergenerational science programming: A catalyst for motivation in older adults

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48
Author(s):  
Ila Schepisi, MTS, CTRS-Specialization in Geriatrics ◽  
Caitlin Faas, MS
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Service Intervention ◽  
Related Science

The purpose of this study was to determine if increased use of science processing skills would in turn increase motivation in older adults. There were three complimentary curricular topics that informed this project: intergenerational (IG) programming, natural motivation, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum. For this study, a facilitator in-service intervention was developed to specifically focus on STEM practices in IG programming. Overall, increasing use of science processing skills in the context of an IG program engaged certain natural motivators in older adults. Following the training, the same older adult participants experienced improved life satisfaction with trends in decreasing depression. Increased use of communication-related science processing skills is an effective method to improve well-being among older adults with dementia.

scholarly journals Characterizing Time to Diagnostic Resolution After an Abnormal Cancer Screening Exam in Older Adult Participants in the Ohio Patient Navigation Research Program

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 1284-1304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. DeSalvo ◽  
Gregory S. Young ◽  
Jessica L. Krok-Schoen ◽  
Electra D. Paskett
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Research Program ◽  
Patient Navigation ◽  
Cox Model ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Group Randomized Trial ◽  
Diagnostic Resolution

Objective: This study aims to test the effectiveness of a patient navigation (PN) intervention to reduce time to diagnostic resolution among older adults age ≥65 years versus those <65 years with abnormal breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer screening exams participating in the Ohio Patient Navigation Research Program (OPNRP). Method: The OPNRP utilized a nested cohort group-randomized trial design to randomize 862 participants ( n = 67 for ≥65 years; n = 795 for <65 years) to PN or usual care conditions. A shared frailty Cox model tested the effect of PN on time to resolution. Results: Older adult participants randomized to PN achieved a 6-month resolution rate that was 127% higher than those randomized to usual care ( p = .001). This effect was not significantly different from participants <65 years. Discussion: PN significantly reduced time to diagnostic resolution among older adults beginning 6 months after an abnormal cancer screening exam. Health care systems should include this population in PN programs to reduce cancer disparities.

scholarly journals Understanding the Factors Influencing Older Adults’ Decision-Making about Their Use of Over-The-Counter Medications—A Scenario-Based Approach

Pharmacy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
Shweta Shah ◽  
Aaron M. Gilson ◽  
Nora Jacobson ◽  
Apoorva Reddy ◽  
Jamie A. Stone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Medication Use ◽  
Wait Time ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Potential Risks ◽  
Harmful Effects

The potential risks of over-the-counter (OTC) medications are often aggravated in vulnerable populations, such as older adults. The elevated patterns of older-adult OTC medication use do not necessarily translate into a greater understanding of these medications or their safety implications. The objective of this study was to assess how older adults’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes inform their decision-making regarding OTC use. Situational interviews were conducted in three community pharmacies with 87 older-adult participants to capture how they intended to use an OTC medication. The interviews were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed, generating seven key themes: (1) medication use concerns; (2) following label instructions; (3) wait time until medication effect; (4) responses to medication not working; (5) decision to stop medication; (6) sources of information; and (7) safety implications. This study shows substantial variations in older-adult OTC medication use while providing insight on factors that influence older adults’ appropriate OTC medication use and, in some cases, the potential for harmful effects.

scholarly journals Self-projection in younger and older adults: A study of episodic memory, prospection, and theory of mind

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoshana N Jarvis ◽  
Jeremy K. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
The Past ◽  
System P ◽  
Adult Participants

Self-projection is the ability to orient the self in different places in time and space. Episodic memory, prospection, and theory of mind (ToM) are all cognitive abilities that share an element of self-projection. Previous research has posited that each of these abilities stem from the same neural network (Buckner &amp; Carroll, 2006). The current study compared performance of cognitively healthy older adults and younger adults on several self-projection tasks to examine the relatedness of these constructs behaviorally. Episodic memory and prospection were measured using an episodic interview task where the participants were asked to remember or imagine events that either had happened in the past or could happen in the future and then gave ratings describing the extent to which they were mentally experiencing the event and from what perspective they viewed it. ToM was measured by asking participants to make judgments regarding the intentions of characters described in stories that involved cognitive, affective, or ironic components. Our results demonstrate that aging influences episodic memory, prospection, and ToM similarly: older adult participants showed declines on each of these measures compared to younger adults. Further, we observed correlations between performance on the measures of episodic memory and prospection as well as between episodic memory and ToM, although no correlation between prospection and ToM was observed after controlling for chronological age. We discuss these results in the light of theories suggesting that each of these abilities is governed by a common brain system.

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