Abstract
Background:OlderageisasubstantialriskfactorforseriousillnessfromCOVID‐19.Moreover,isolation and quarantineare more likely to cause physical, mental andsocialdeprivationinolderage.InformationandCommunicationToolsaremeanstopreventsuchconsequences.Objective:Thisstudy aimed therefore to investigatethe impact of the COVID‐19lockdownmeasureson the usage of an innovativetechnical support systemdeployedinAustria(AT)andLuxembourg(LU)consistingofseveraltoolsthatallowindependentlivinginolderage.Methods:Thirty‐nineolderadults(11male;28female)withameanageof74.3(SD7.3)yearswereincludedinthestudy.Intotal,18olderpeoplewererecruitedinATand 21 in LU. Descriptivestatistics were computed,and longitudinalmodelswerefittedfortechnologyuseandself‐reportedmood.Results:Thenumberofolderadultsusingthesystemsignificantlydecreasedfromthetimebeforelockdown(39[100%])toduringlockdown(26[67%])andthereafter(23[59%];p<0.001).Multiplecomparisonsrevealedasignificantreductionintheaverage number of events for calendar and medicationtools, but a substantialin-crease in communicationand messagingevents. Self‐reportedwell‐beingdeclinedduringthelockdownandincreasedafterwardsbacktobaselinelevels.Conclusion:Communicationwasthemainreasonforusingthesupportsystem.Inaddition, strategiesand interventionsare essential to support older adults whenusing informationtechnologyin the prolongedphases of the pandemic to sustainindependentliving.
Originalsprache | Englisch |
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Seiten (von - bis) | 1-10 |
Seitenumfang | 10 |
Fachzeitschrift | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry |
DOIs | |
Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - 2022 |
Research Field
- Medical Signal Analysis
Schlagwörter
- assistivetechnology
- communication
- coronavirus
- newtechnology
- olderpeople
- participation
- vulnerable