Engaging Older Clients With Exercise Physiology Software

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Sue Whetton ◽  
Denis Visentin ◽  
Robert Rowe ◽  
Dan Rolf ◽  
Susan Johns ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Exercise Physiology ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Expert Support

Ensuring access to ongoing exercise programs for older adults with degenerative conditions is a challenge for allied health professionals. E-health technologies can help address this challenge. However, user acceptance is a critical determinant of their effectiveness. This study identified features influencing the willingness of older adults to use exercise software. It focused on user-friendliness, engagement, and user needs. Feedback was gathered via focus groups with thematic analysis used to analyse data. While participants perceived the software as user-friendly and engaging, intention to use the application was strongly influenced by perceptions about whether it met individual needs. While participants agreed that the software did provide a means for meeting their exercise needs, many identified on-the-spot expert support, safety, and social contact as being equally, if not more important than exercise. This study reinforces that well-designed, user-friendly applications will not necessarily engage and motivate users if they do not address user-prioritised needs.

scholarly journals INTERNET USE AND LONELINESS OF OLDER ADULTS OVER TIME: THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF SOCIAL CONTACT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S194-S194
Author(s):  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Shinyi Wu ◽  
Iris Chi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Total Effect ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Retirement Study ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Internet is increasingly popular among older adults and have changed interpersonal interactions. However, it remains controversial whether older people are more or less lonely with internet use. This paper tests the longitudinal association of internet use and loneliness among older people. One pathway that explains the association, the mediation effect of social contact, was examined. Data from the 2006, 2010 and 2014 waves of Health and Retirement Study was used. Hierarchical liner modeling results showed internet use was related to decreased loneliness over 12-year period of time (b=-0.044, p<.001). Internet use was associated with more social contact with family and friends overtime (b=0.261, p<.001), social contact was related to less perceived loneliness longitudinally (b=0.097, p<.001). The total effect of internet use on loneliness is -0.054 and the mediated effect is -0.025. The findings imply that online activities can be effective for reducing loneliness for older people through increased social contact.

scholarly journals Determining the impact of postoperative complications in neurosurgery based on simulated longitudinal smartphone app-based assessment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lion D. Comfort ◽  
Marian C. Neidert ◽  
Oliver Bozinov ◽  
Luca Regli ◽  
Martin N. Stienen
Keyword(s):  
Postoperative Complications ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Smartphone Application ◽  
Simulated Patients ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Longitudinal Assessment ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Complications after neurosurgical operations can have severe impact on patient well-being, which is poorly reflected by current grading systems. The objective of this work was to develop and conduct a feasibility study of a new smartphone application that allows for the longitudinal assessment of postoperative well-being and complications. Methods We developed a smartphone application “Post OP Tracker” according to requirements from clinical experience and tested it on simulated patients. Participants received regular notifications through the app, inquiring them about their well-being and complications that had to be answered according to their assigned scenarios. After a 12-week period, subjects answered a questionnaire about the app’s functionality, user-friendliness, and acceptability. Results A total of 13 participants (mean age 34.8, range 24–68 years, 4 (30.8%) female) volunteered in this feasibility study. Most of them had a professional background in either health care or software development. All participants downloaded, installed, and applied the app for an average of 12.9 weeks. On a scale of 1 (worst) to 4 (best), the app was rated on average 3.6 in overall satisfaction and 3.8 in acceptance. The design achieved a somewhat favorable score of 3.1. One participant (7.7%) reported major technical issues. The gathered patient data can be used to graphically display the simulated outcome and assess the impact of postoperative complications. Conclusions This study suggests the feasibility to longitudinally gather postoperative data on subjective well-being through a smartphone application. Among potential patients, our application indicated to be functional, user-friendly, and well accepted. Using this app-based approach, further studies will enable us to classify postoperative complications according to their impact on the patient’s well-being.

35 Social Contact Mode and 15-Year Episodic Memory Trajectories in Older Adults with and Without Hearing Loss: the Elsa Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i7-i11
Author(s):  
S Rafnsson ◽  
A Maharani ◽  
G Tampubolon
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Impaired Hearing ◽  
Contact Mode

Abstract Introduction Frequent social contact benefits cognition in later life although evidence is lacking on the potential importance of the modes chosen by older adults for interacting with others in their social network. Method 11,513 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) provided baseline information on hearing status and social contact mode and frequency of use. Multilevel growth curve models compared episodic memory (immediate and delayed recall) at baseline and long-term in participants who interacted frequently (offline only or offline and online combined), compared to infrequently, with others in their social network. Results Frequent offline (β = 0.29; p < 0.05) and combined offline and online (β = 0.76; p < 0.001) social interactions predicted better episodic memory after adjustment for multiple confounding factors. We observed positive long-term influences of combined offline and online interactions on memory in participants without hearing loss (β = 0.48, p = 0.001) but not of strictly offline interactions (β = 0.00, p = 0.970). In those with impaired hearing, long-term memory was positively influenced by both modes of engagement (offline only: β = 0.93, p < 0.001; combined online and offline: β = 1.47, p < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings. Conclusion Supplementing conventional social interactions with online communication modes may help older adults, especially those living with hearing loss, sustain, and benefit cognitively from, personal relationships.

scholarly journals Visualization approaches to support healthy aging: A systematic review

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uba Backonja ◽  
Nai-Ching Chi ◽  
Yong Choi ◽  
Amanda K Hall ◽  
Thai Le ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Aging In Place ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Data Visualizations ◽  
Informatics Tools

Background: Health technologies have the potential to support the growing number of older adults who are aging in place. Many tools include visualizations (data visualizations, visualizations of physical representations). However, the role of visualizations in supporting aging in place remains largely unexplored.Objective: To synthesize and identify gaps in the literature evaluating visualizations (data visualizations and visualizations of physical representations), for informatics tools to support healthy aging.Methods: We conducted a search in CINAHL, Embase, Engineering Village, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science using a priori defined terms for publications in English describing community-based studies evaluating visualizations used by adults aged ≥65 years.Results: Six out of the identified 251 publications were eligible. Most studies were user studies and varied methodological quality. Three visualizations of virtual representations supported performing at-home exercises. Participants found visual representations either (a) helpful, motivational, and supported their understanding of their health behaviors or (b) not an improvement over alternatives. Three data visualizations supported understanding of one’s health. Participants were able to interpret data visualizations that used precise data and encodings that were more concrete better than those that did not provide precision or were abstract. Participants found data visualizations helpful in understanding their overall health and granular data.Conclusions: Studies we identified used visualizations to promote engagement in exercises or understandings of one’s health. Future research could overcome methodological limitations of studies we identified to develop visualizations that older adults could use with ease and accuracy to support their health behaviors and decision-making.

scholarly journals Profiles of Loneliness and Social Isolation in Physically Active and Inactive Older Adults in Rural England

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 3971
Author(s):  
Jolanthe de Koning ◽  
Suzanne H. Richards ◽  
Grace E. R. Wood ◽  
Afroditi Stathi
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Physical Environment ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Physical Activity Behaviour ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Physically Active

Objective: Loneliness and social isolation are associated with higher risk of morbidity and mortality and physical inactivity in older age. This study explored the socioecological context in which both physically active and inactive older adults experience loneliness and/or social isolation in a UK rural setting. Design: A mixed-methods design employed semi structured interviews and accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Interviews explored the personal, social and environmental factors influencing engagement with physical activities, guided by an adapted-socioecological model of physical activity behaviour. Findings: Twenty-four older adults (MeanAge = 73 (5.8 SD); 12 women) were interviewed. Transcripts were thematically analysed and seven profiles of physical activity, social isolation and loneliness were identified. The high-MVPA group had established PA habits, reported several sources of social contact and evaluated their physical environment as activity friendly. The low MVPA group had diverse experiences of past engagement in social activities. Similar to the high MVPA, they reported a range of sources of social contact but they did not perceive the physical environment as activity friendly. Conclusions: Loneliness and/or social isolation was reported by both physically active and inactive older adults. There is wide diversity and complexity in types and intensity of PA, loneliness and social isolation profiles and personal, social and environmental contexts.

Social Contact Frequency and Pain among Older Adults with HIV: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 612
Author(s):  
Matthew Herbert ◽  
Jennalee Wooldridge ◽  
Emily Paolillo ◽  
Colin Depp ◽  
Raeanne Moore
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Assessment Study ◽  
Contact Frequency ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

scholarly journals Can remote social contact replace in‐person contact to protect mental health among older adults?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise C. Hawkley ◽  
Laura E. Finch ◽  
Ashwin A. Kotwal ◽  
Linda J. Waite
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Contact

scholarly journals High-Throughput Analysis of Selected Urinary Hydroxy Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by an Innovative Automated Solid-Phase Microextraction

Molecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 1869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Dugheri ◽  
Alessandro Bonari ◽  
Matteo Gentili ◽  
Giovanni Cappelli ◽  
Ilenia Pompilio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Solid Phase Microextraction ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
User Friendliness ◽  
High Throughput Analysis ◽  
Polycyclic Aromatic ◽  
User Friendly

High-throughput screening of samples is the strategy of choice to detect occupational exposure biomarkers, yet it requires a user-friendly apparatus that gives relatively prompt results while ensuring high degrees of selectivity, precision, accuracy and automation, particularly in the preparation process. Miniaturization has attracted much attention in analytical chemistry and has driven solvent and sample savings as easier automation, the latter thanks to the introduction on the market of the three axis autosampler. In light of the above, this contribution describes a novel user-friendly solid-phase microextraction (SPME) off- and on-line platform coupled with gas chromatography and triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry to determine urinary metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 1- and 2-hydroxy-naphthalene, 9-hydroxy-phenanthrene, 1-hydroxy-pyrene, 3- and 9-hydroxy-benzoantracene, and 3-hydroxy-benzo[a]pyrene. In this new procedure, chromatography’s sensitivity is combined with the user-friendliness of N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide on-fiber SPME derivatization using direct immersion sampling; moreover, specific isotope-labelled internal standards provide quantitative accuracy. The detection limits for the seven OH-PAHs ranged from 0.25 to 4.52 ng/L. Intra-(from 2.5 to 3.0%) and inter-session (from 2.4 to 3.9%) repeatability was also evaluated. This method serves to identify suitable risk-control strategies for occupational hygiene conservation programs.

scholarly journals Digital Health Interventions for Healthy Aging: A Qualitative User Evaluation and Ethical Assessment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Ienca ◽  
Christophe Schneble ◽  
Reto Kressig ◽  
Tenzin Wangmo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Functional Independence ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Healthy Ageing ◽  
Health Technologies ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract BackgroundDigital health technologies are being increasingly developed with the aim of allowing older adults to maintain functional independence throughout the old age, a process known as healthy ageing. Such digital health technologies for healthy ageing are expected to mitigate the socio-economic effects of population ageing and improve the quality of life of older people. However, little is known regarding the views and needs of older people regarding these technologies. AimThe aim of this study is to explore the views, needs and perceptions of community-dwelling older adults regarding the use of digital health technologies for healthy ageing. MethodFace-to-face, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with community-dwelling older adults (median age 79.6 years). The interview process involved both abstract reflections and practical demonstrations. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to inductive content analysis. ResultsThree main themes and twelve sub-themes emerged. The three main themes revolved around the following thematic areas: favorable views and perceptions on technology-assisted living, usability evaluations and ethical considerations. ConclusionsOur study reveals a generally positive attitude towards digital health technologies as participants believed digital tools could positively contribute to improving their overall wellbeing, especially if designed in a patient-centered manner. Safety concerns and ethical issues related to privacy, empowerment and lack of human contact also emerged as key considerations.

scholarly journals Examining Rural and Racial Disparities in the Relationship Between Loneliness and Social Technology Use Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaileigh A. Byrne ◽  
Reza Ghaiumy Anaraky ◽  
Cheryl Dye ◽  
Lesley A. Ross ◽  
Kapil Chalil Madathil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Primary Study ◽  
Social Technology ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Rural Older Adults

Loneliness, the subjective negative experience derived from a lack of meaningful companionship, is associated with heightened vulnerability to adverse health outcomes among older adults. Social technology affords an opportunity to cultivate social connectedness and mitigate loneliness. However, research examining potential inequalities in loneliness is limited. This study investigates racial and rural-urban differences in the relationship between social technology use and loneliness in adults aged 50 and older using data from the 2016 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 4,315). Social technology use was operationalized as the self-reported frequency of communication through Skype, Facebook, or other social media with family and friends. Loneliness was assessed using the UCLA Loneliness scale, and rural-urban differences were based on Beale rural-urban continuum codes. Examinations of race focused on differences between Black/African-American and White/Caucasian groups. A path model analysis was performed to assess whether race and rurality moderated the relationship between social technology use and loneliness, adjusting for living arrangements, age, general computer usage. Social engagement and frequency of social contact with family and friends were included as mediators. The primary study results demonstrated that the association between social technology use and loneliness differed by rurality, but not race. Rural older adults who use social technology less frequently experience greater loneliness than urban older adults. This relationship between social technology and loneliness was mediated by social engagement and frequency of social contact. Furthermore, racial and rural-urban differences in social technology use demonstrated that social technology use is less prevalent among rural older adults than urban and suburban-dwelling older adults; no such racial differences were observed. However, Black older adults report greater levels of perceived social negativity in their relationships compared to White older adults. Interventions seeking to address loneliness using social technology should consider rural and racial disparities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document