IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i23p15723-d984596.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Benefits of a Wearable Activity Tracker with Safety Features for Older Adults: An Intervention Study

Author

Listed:
  • Simona Hvalič-Touzery

    (Centre for Social Informatics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Mojca Šetinc

    (Centre for Social Informatics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Vesna Dolničar

    (Centre for Social Informatics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Abstract

Accidental falls and physical inactivity are important age-related issues for which smart technologies have demonstrated potential utility. This research aimed to explore the benefits of combining wearable activity monitors and telecare for older adults. A four-month interventional study was conducted between June 2021 and February 2022 in Slovenia. A purposive sample of 22 dyads of older adults aged 60 years and over and their relatives or family members used a wearable GoLiveClip device. The Pillar Integration Process was used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data. Seven pillars emerged: (1) the use of smart technologies as a motivator for physical activity; (2) factors related to smart technology use affecting physical activity levels; (3) increased usefulness of smart technologies for users who completed the study; (4) activity monitoring as the most useful functionality of the solution; (5) the influence of technical problems on usefulness; (6) the influence of age and previous experience with smart technologies on usefulness; and (7) moderate psychological effects of smart technology use. Activity trackers were found to effectively promote physical activity in older adults, and safety features were shown to be an important part of the solution, regardless of health status or physical activity level.

Suggested Citation

  • Simona Hvalič-Touzery & Mojca Šetinc & Vesna Dolničar, 2022. "Benefits of a Wearable Activity Tracker with Safety Features for Older Adults: An Intervention Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-26, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15723-:d:984596
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15723/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15723/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amy V. Creaser & Jennifer Hall & Silvia Costa & Daniel D. Bingham & Stacy A. Clemes, 2022. "Exploring Families’ Acceptance of Wearable Activity Trackers: A Mixed-Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-36, March.
    2. Justina Y. W. Liu & Rick Y. C. Kwan & Yue-Heng Yin & Paul H. Lee & Judy Yuen-man Siu & Xue Bai, 2021. "Enhancing the Physical Activity Levels of Frail Older Adults with a Wearable Activity Tracker-Based Exercise Intervention: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-23, September.
    3. Catherine Park & Md Moin Uddin Atique & Ramkinker Mishra & Bijan Najafi, 2022. "Association between Fall History and Gait, Balance, Physical Activity, Depression, Fear of Falling, and Motor Capacity: A 6-Month Follow-Up Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-14, August.
    4. Cecilie Karlsen & Carl Erik Moe & Kristin Haraldstad & Elin Thygesen, 2019. "Caring by telecare? A hermeneutic study of experiences among older adults and their family caregivers," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(7-8), pages 1300-1313, April.
    5. Shu-Lin Uei & Yu-Ming Kuo & Chung-Hung Tsai & Yu-Lun Kuo, 2017. "An Exploration of Intent to Use Telehealth at Home for Patients with Chronic Diseases," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-12, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Catherine Park & Ram kinker Mishra & Michele K. York & Ana Enriquez & Abigail Lindsay & Gregory Barchard & Ashkan Vaziri & Bijan Najafi, 2022. "Tele-Medicine Based and Self-Administered Interactive Exercise Program (Tele-Exergame) to Improve Cognition in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Feasibility, Acceptability, an," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Andréa Gomes Martins Gaspar & Pedro Escada & Luís Velez Lapão, 2021. "How Can We Develop an Efficient eHealth Service for Provision of Care for Elderly People with Balance Disorders and Risk of Falling? A Mixed Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Andréa Gomes Martins Gaspar & Luís Velez Lapão, 2022. "A Digital Health Service for Elderly People with Balance Disorders and Risk of Falling: A Design Science Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Stephanie Schoeppe & Kim Waters & Jo Salmon & Susan L. Williams & Deborah Power & Stephanie Alley & Amanda L. Rebar & Melanie Hayman & Mitch J. Duncan & Corneel Vandelanotte, 2023. "Experience and Satisfaction with a Family-Based Physical Activity Intervention Using Activity Trackers and Apps: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Amy V. Creaser & Marie T. Frazer & Silvia Costa & Daniel D. Bingham & Stacy A. Clemes, 2022. "The Use of Wearable Activity Trackers in Schools to Promote Child and Adolescent Physical Activity: A Descriptive Content Analysis of School Staff’s Perspectives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-17, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15723-:d:984596. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.