JMIR Aging最新文献

{"title":"Developing Consumer Consensus on Remote Assessment and Management of Physical Function in Older Adults (RAMP): International Modified Delphi Process.","authors":"Elsa Dent, Christopher Hurst, Jack Dalla Via, Jackson J Fyfe, Paul Jansons, Eleanor J Hayes, Gary Skinner, Marc Sim, Mylene Aubertin-Leheudre, Sabine Britting, Fanny Buckinx, Gavin Connolly, Ruth Dignam, Lora Giangregorio, Jennifer R A Jones, Pauline Kelly, Robert Kob, Suzanne N Morin, Girish Nandakumar, Lucas B R Orssatto, Maria Pearson, Daniel Pinto, Esmee M Reijnierse, Catherine M Said, Mohamed Salem, Vina Ps Tan, Rosanna Tran, Jesse Zanker, Robin M Daly, David Scott","doi":"10.2196/75791","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2196/75791","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Remote health care delivery, including the use of digital health interventions, is emerging as a tool for assessing and managing physical function, but its design and implementation often overlook the needs and preferences of older adult end users.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The primary aim of this modified Delphi process was to develop consumer consensus on preferences for remote assessment and management of physical function in older adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Research and consumer experts of the Remote Assessment and Management of Physical Function in Older Adults (RAMP) Working Group co-developed the Round 1 Delphi survey, which was advertised to consumers (adults aged ≥60 years) via international clinical and research networks and social media between August and November 2023. The online survey presented 23 Delphi statements for which respondents reported their level of agreement using an 11-point Likert scale (0-10; scores ≥7 indicated agreement). Statements were classified as having \"strong agreement\" and achieving consensus if ≥80% of participants indicated agreement. Statements classified as having \"moderate\" (70%-80% of participants indicated agreement) or \"low\" (<70% of participants indicated agreement) agreement were revised or rejected. Revised statements were presented to participants in Round 2 (January to February 2024), and the final consensus statements were consolidated into recommendations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 654 consumers (75.7% female) with a mean age of 69.0 (SD 6.0) years from 15 countries (5 continents) were included in analyses in Round 1. Of 23 statements, 13 achieved consensus, with the strongest agreement observed for statements relating to the importance of physical function for quality of life and performing activities of daily living (6 statements; agreement 97.6%-99.5%). Two statements regarding privacy and security concerns when using technology (agreement 20.8%) and the inability to perform physical function assessments or exercise at home (agreement 15.5%) were rejected with low agreement. The remaining 8 statements (agreement 49.5%-79.5%) were modified into 7 new statements for the Round 2 survey, which was completed by 526 (80.4%) respondents from Round 1. Five of seven Round 2 statements were accepted with strong agreement (agreement 80%-82.7%), including the importance of addressing personal preferences for self- versus clinician-led remote interventions, group versus individual exercise, and availability of necessary resources (eg, technology and exercise equipment).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Eighteen statements achieved consensus and were translated into 7 recommendations highlighting that older adults recognize physical function as a health priority, would value more information about it, and are willing to participate in remote assessment and management interventions (including via digital health) to maintain or improv","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":"9 ","pages":"e75791"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146133265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lessons Learned About Digital Health Tool Acceptability Among Rural Older Adults: Systematic Review Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model.","authors":"Zachary M Siegel, Ellie Quinkert, Jiya Pai, Corinne H Miller, Marquita W Lewis","doi":"10.2196/70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2196/70012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Digital health tools are increasingly vital in rural health care due to widespread hospital closures and the rapid adoption of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural older adults, a uniquely vulnerable population, face barriers to accessing these tools due to rurality and usability challenges. Although a growing body of literature examines the acceptability and usability of digital tools among rural older adults, no study has synthesized this research to establish best practices.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to review existing literature on digital health tools for rural older adults, highlighting key lessons learned about their acceptability and identifying strategies to improve usability for this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, this study reviewed literature that investigated the role of digital health tools on the health outcomes of rural older adults (ie, at least 60 years old). The literature was retrieved from 5 electronic databases through June 2023. This study and all reviewed literature were conducted in the United States. Guided by a systematic process, 2 reviewers assessed relevant articles for eligibility, analyzed data, and extracted relevant content. The extracted findings were organized according to the evidence-based technology acceptance model, which assesses the acceptability of a technology by its usefulness, ease of use, and intention to use.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The preliminary title review produced 7728 results, and 38 eligible manuscripts were included in the final review. Studies included both rural older adults and providers of rural older adults as participants. Digital health tools included, but were not limited to, videoconferencing, phone calls, telehealth monitoring, telemedicine appointments, and computer-based interventions. Findings on the usefulness of digital health tools by rural older adults were mixed. While digital health tools were useful for overcoming barriers to accessing care, these tools were less useful for rural older adults with limited digital literacy. Additionally, some studies described that the technology was easy but difficult to use when faced with environmental barriers, equipment issues, and discomfort with the technology. Rural older adults often reported an intention to use the technology after the study. Yet, on a few occasions, participants who preferred in-person care visits or did not have buy-in on the technology reported no intention to use the technology again.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our review highlights that rural older adults and their providers generally view digital health tools as acceptable for delivering care and, in some cases, as a viable alternative to in-person clinic visits. While certain barriers impacted the acceptance of these tools among rural older adults, many of thes","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":"9 ","pages":"e70012"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146119554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deep Learning-based Estimated Pulmonary Biological Age from Chest CT Images in Healthy Adults: a model development and validation study.","authors":"Liping Zuo, Na Zhu, Bowen Wang, Donglai Li, Jinlei Fan, Zhaolei Fan, Yongsheng Shang, Yongxiang Wang, Lei Xu, Peng Zhou, Wangshu Cai, Dexin Yu","doi":"10.2196/78243","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2196/78243","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Estimated pulmonary biological age (ePBA) has emerged as a more reliable indicator for disease progression and mortality than chronological age, with chest CT as a promising tool for calculating ePBA. However, the lack of models trained and validated with large-scale healthy adults hinders the generalizability of the CT-based ePBA.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To develop an ageing biomarker (ePBA) from multi-center chest CTs of healthy adults using deep learning and investigate the association between age gap (ePBA－chronological age) and pulmonary function as well as all-cause mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We utilized 11,187 chest CT scans from healthy adults at three health management centers and used multiple deep-learning models. Of these, 7,726 scans from Institution A were used for model development. The remaining CT scans from Institution B (n=1,506) and C (n=1,955) served as external test datasets. To examine whether ePBA provided information beyond chronological age in patients with the disease, we investigated the association of age gap with lung function and all-cause mortality among 138 COPD patients hospitalized at the same time period in institution A.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The deep learning models demonstrated acceptable applicability for this task, exhibited a strong correlation between ePBA and chronological age. Age gap was significantly associated with FEV1% reduction (rs=-0.18, P=.03) and an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.16 [ 95%CI: 1.08, 1.25]) in patients with COPD.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study developed and validated the biomarker of ageing-ePBA- with deep learning models based on chest CT. Age gap could serve as a novel clinical biomarker in COPD patients.</p><p><strong>Clinicaltrial: </strong></p>","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146100816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Level of eHealth Literacy and Its Associations With Health Behaviors and Outcomes in Chinese Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Baseline Data From a Large-Scale Community Project.","authors":"Siu Long Chau, Wanjia He, Tzu Tsun Luk, Sophia Siu Chee Chan","doi":"10.2196/74110","DOIUrl":"10.2196/74110","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;eHealth literacy is important for older adults to be able to seek and evaluate online health information. However, there is a scarcity of large-scale data on their eHealth literacy levels, particularly among the oldest older individuals (aged &gt;75 years) in unique, high-income Asian regions such as Hong Kong. A comprehensive understanding of how eHealth literacy is associated with specific health behaviors, mental well-being, and physical health outcomes in this population is lacking.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aims to assess the level of eHealth literacy and its associations with health behaviors and health-related outcomes among older adults in Hong Kong.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Generations Connect Project. This is an ongoing large-scale community-based project, where we trained university students to conduct home visits and assess the health status of older adults (N=6704) in Hong Kong. eHealth literacy was measured using the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS; score: 8-40). Health behavior measurements included physical activity levels (metabolic equivalent of task minutes per week) and smoking, drinking, and eating habits. Mental well-being was measured using the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (percentage score: 0-100) and UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale (score: 3-9). Physical health was assessed on the basis of self-reported medical diagnosis of noncommunicable diseases (yes/no), including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Adjusted unstandardized coefficients (b) and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to determine the associations between variables.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Among the 6704 participants (mean age 77.8, SD 7.0 years), the mean eHEALS score was 18.2 (SD 10.2), and 44.1% (2897/6566) of the participants had inadequate eHealth literacy (score: 8-15.99). Increasing age (adjusted b -0.32, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.28; P&lt;.001), support from the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme (adjusted b -1.49, 95% CI -2.04 to -0.95; P&lt;.001), and living in public housing (adjusted b -1.60, 95% CI -2.69 to -0.50; P=.004) were associated with a lower eHEALS score. Participants with moderate eHealth literacy (score: 24-31.99) were less likely to be current smokers (adjusted OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.38-0.95; P=.04), more physically active (adjusted b 39.83, 95% CI 2.04-77.62; P=.04), more likely to be community health center members (adjusted OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30-1.77; P&lt;.001) and to have healthy diets (adjusted b 0.034, 95% CI 0.006-0.063; P=.04), and less likely to have a medical diagnosis of diabetes (adjusted OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.85; P&lt;.001). Moreover, they had a higher score on the World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index (adjusted b 2.89, 95% CI 1.42-4.36; P&lt;.001) and a lower score on the UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale (adjusted b -0.26, 95% CI -0.37 to -0.15; P&lt;.001).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;s","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":"9 ","pages":"e74110"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12857900/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146094529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TeleCARE: A Pilot Study of a Telehealth-Adapted Dementia Caregiver Skills Training Intervention.","authors":"Maureen K O'Connor, Steven D Shirk, Jaye E McLaren, Andrew H Nguyen, Kendra Pugh, Madeline A Sullivan, Emily E Metcalf, Samantha Harrington, Lauren R Moo","doi":"10.2196/81256","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2196/81256","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Dementia caregivers often want to support aging at home, but as neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) become more severe, caregiver challenges increase, often resulting in negative outcomes for both the caregiver and care recipient, and institutionalization. Project CARE is a manualized in-person group intervention for dementia caregivers designed to reduce negative caregiver outcomes by teaching skills to manage NPS in care recipients in the home environment. Interventions that occur in-person, however, can be difficult for caregivers to attend. Telehealth-based interventions are possible alternatives that reduce barriers to attendance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;The primary objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of offering CARE via telehealth (TeleCARE). The secondary objective was to explore quantitative outcome trends and effect sizes post-intervention outcomes of TeleCARE for both caregivers and care recipients.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Rates of recruitment, attendance, and completion were used to assess the feasibility of TeleCARE. We also collected data on technology use and telehealth-based adaptations. To measure acceptability, participants rated satisfaction with the intervention immediately post-intervention. Questionnaires were administered at baseline, and immediately and 3-months post-intervention. Primary outcomes for exploratory analysis included NPS presence, severity, and caregiver NPS-related distress. Secondary outcomes included caregiver depression, anxiety, stress, self-efficacy, positive aspects of caregiving, and meaning and purpose in life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Of the 109 caregivers contacted for recruitment, 24 caregivers (22%) enrolled in TeleCARE, and 20 caregivers (83%; predominantly female spouses) completed the study. Feedback from participants in TeleCARE-test Group 1 (n=3) was used to modify the intervention to improve the telehealth experience, including adding procedures to improve safety, encourage rapport building, address etiquette, and ensure privacy. The final version of TeleCARE included 7 weekly synchronous video sessions. Ten participants attended all 7 sessions, and all participants attended at least 5 sessions. Satisfaction ratings suggested adequate intervention acceptability. We found that most participants (65%) required technological support, and that technological support was needed throughout the intervention. We observed quantitative trends toward post-intervention decreases in care-recipient NPS severity (d=0.16), caregiver depression (d=0.15) and anxiety (d=0.23), and, perhaps surprisingly, caregiver self-efficacy (d=0.21), and increases in positive aspects of caregiving (d=0.18) and meaning and purpose in life (d=0.09). Most improvements were not sustained at three-months.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;For this pilot feasibility study, we successfully recruited dementia caregivers and engaged th","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146054155","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictive Model of Acupuncture Adherence in Alzheimer Disease: Secondary Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.","authors":"Ze-Hao Chen, Ran Li, Yu-Hang Jiang, Jia-Kai He, Shan-Shan Yan, Guan-Hua Zong, Zong-Xi Yi, Xin-Yu Ren, Bao-Hui Jia","doi":"10.2196/82787","DOIUrl":"10.2196/82787","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture in treating Alzheimer disease (AD) largely depends on consistent treatment adherence. Therefore, identifying key factors influencing adherence and developing targeted interventions are crucial for enhancing clinical outcomes.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to develop and validate a predictive model for identifying patients with AD who are likely to maintain good adherence to acupuncture treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This secondary analysis included 108 patients with probable AD, aged 50 to 85 years, from 2 independent randomized controlled trials conducted at Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. Of all, 66 patients were assigned to the development cohort and 42 to the external validation cohort. Acupuncture adherence was defined as the proportion of completed sessions relative to scheduled sessions, with good adherence defined as ≥80% completion. Baseline data included demographic, clinical, cognitive, functional, psychological, and caregiving variables. Multivariable logistic regression with backward stepwise selection was used to identify significant predictors, and a nomogram was constructed based on the final model. Model performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis, with external validation performed by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed using alternative adherence thresholds of 70% and 90%.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A higher number of treatments during the first month was associated with a significant increase in the odds of good adherence (odds ratio [OR] 3.06, 95% CI 1.68-7.01; P=.002), while longer disease duration (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-1.00; P=.049) and receiving care from a part-time caregiver (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.72; P=.022) were associated with lower odds of adherence. Sensitivity analyses further supported the stability and reliability of the model.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study is the first to develop and validate a predictive model for acupuncture adherence in patients with AD. In clinical research, it can facilitate participant stratification and help identify individuals who may need additional adherence support, thereby reducing bias and enhancing trial quality. In clinical practice, the nomogram enables proactive adherence management by prospectively identifying high-risk patients and guiding targeted strategies to improve adherence and optimize therapeutic outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":"9 ","pages":"e82787"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12822864/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146019720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From Digital Anxiety to Empowerment in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Survey Study on Psychosocial Drivers of Digital Literacy.","authors":"Han-Jen Niu, Ming-Hsuan Li, Feng-Yu Hsieh, Chun-Chieh Yu, Chun-Ting Lin","doi":"10.2196/75245","DOIUrl":"10.2196/75245","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Amid the convergence of global population aging and accelerating digital transformation, older adults' digital adaptability has emerged as a critical indicator of their quality of life, autonomy, and capacity for successful aging. However, digital disparities, technology-related anxiety, and insufficient support systems continue to hinder older individuals from fully participating in digital society. Particularly in modern family structures-where children often live apart from aging parents-the diminishing role of family support further underscores the importance of broader social influences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aims to examine how environmental factors (family support and social influence) and psychological factors (digital anxiety and sense of achievement) are associated with older adults' intention to use Assistive Digital Tools and Services (ADTS), and how these relationships contribute to the development of digital literacy. Drawing upon an integrative framework that combines constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, and social cognitive theory, the study also investigates the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying these effects, offering strategic insights to support older adults in moving from social isolation to digital empowerment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A structured questionnaire survey was conducted using a convenience sampling method among adults aged 55 years and older in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China, yielding 480 valid responses. Structural equation modeling, bootstrapping, and moderation analysis were used to test the proposed integrative framework.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;For both family support and social influence, their associations with digital literacy were fully mediated by ADTS. Higher family support was associated with lower digital anxiety, which in turn correlated with greater intention, while stronger social influence was directly associated with higher intention. Digital anxiety showed a strong negative association with intention; however, this relationship was significantly weaker among those reporting a higher sense of achievement. These findings highlight usage intention as a central pathway through which environmental and psychological conditions are related to digital competence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Digital literacy in later life is more than a technical skill set-it represents a vital form of psychological and social capital that empowers autonomy, well-being, and social integration. Strengthening older adults' intention to engage with digital tools through emotional reinforcement, achievement-oriented experiences, and supportive social environments is key to narrowing the digital divide. Beyond its personal benefits, fostering digital competence contributes to successful aging, which in turn brings profound advantages for families, strengthens comm","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":"9 ","pages":"e75245"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12823018/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146019737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of 4 Weeks or More Immersive Virtual Reality on Quality of Life and Physical Activity in Older Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Iria Trillo-Charlín, Javier Bravo-Aparicio, Juan Avendaño-Coy, Héctor Beltrán-Alacreu","doi":"10.2196/80820","DOIUrl":"10.2196/80820","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Population aging poses significant public health challenges. Older adults often face multimorbidity, functional decline, and diminished quality of life. While physical activity can mitigate these effects, adherence remains low. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has emerged as a promising, engaging tool to promote physical and cognitive health in this population.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;The review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of IVR interventions lasting 4 weeks or more on quality of life, physical activity, pain, perceived effort, and adverse events in older adults.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) and Cochrane guidelines. Literature was searched across PubMed, Web of Science, PEDro, and Scopus, as well as sources of gray literature. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials involving participants aged &gt;60 years, using IVR via head-mounted display. Outcomes assessed included quality of life, physical activity, pain, perceived effort, and adverse events. Risk of bias and evidence certainty were assessed using Risk of Bias 2.0 and GRADE (Grades of Recommendation Assessment Development and Evaluation), respectively.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 14 studies with 839 participants were included in the qualitative synthesis, of which 8 were eligible for quantitative meta-analysis. The pooled analysis showed a statistically significant moderate effect of IVR on quality of life (standardized mean difference [SMD]=0.48, 95% CI 0.1-0.8; P=.007), particularly in interventions lasting 10 to 12 weeks or involving more than 600 minutes of exposure. For physical activity, no significant differences were found between IVR and control groups (SMD=-0.2, 95% CI -0.7 to 0.4; P=.50). Evidence for secondary outcomes (pain, perceived exertion, and adverse events) was limited and largely qualitative, with inconsistent findings. Pain outcomes, assessed in 2 studies, indicated reductions in the IVR group, especially when multimodal approaches were used. Perceived effort was not systematically measured. Adverse events were generally mild, with cybersickness being the most reported issue.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;IVR interventions of 4 weeks or more appear to moderately improve quality of life in older adults, especially those with clinical vulnerabilities or in institutional settings. Although effects on physical activity were not significant, trends suggest potential with appropriate program design. Preliminary findings support IVR's use in pain reduction, particularly when incorporating emotional and multisensory elements. The low incidence of adverse events suggests good tolerability. Overall, IVR is a promising and safe tool to support healthy aging, though further high-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings and assess long-term outcomes.&lt;","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":"9 ","pages":"e80820"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12795489/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145960524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceived Use of Web-Based Videoconferencing for Social Connectedness Among Older Adults Living in Long-Term Care: Qualitative Study.","authors":"Anna Garnett, Halyna Yurkiv, Denise M Connelly, Richard Booth, Lorie Donelle","doi":"10.2196/73213","DOIUrl":"10.2196/73213","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how restrictions on in-person interactions within long-term care homes (LTCHs) severely compromised social connectedness among older adults and their families. Post pandemic, despite policy changes supporting greater in-person family engagement, frequent outbreaks continue to disrupt face-to-face interactions, and factors such as geography, life circumstances, and health can constrain family members' ability to make regular in-person visits. Research suggests that web-based videoconferencing technology (WVT) may be a practical solution to help older adults within LTCHs to maintain social connection in the absence of physical gathering. However, increased understanding of end user experience is lacking, and more information on LTCHs' readiness to support and sustain WVT will be needed if this modality is to be successfully and widely implemented.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aimed to understand how older adults living in LTCHs, their families, and LTCH staff members perceived the use and ease of use of WVT devices for facilitating social connectedness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Using a qualitative description approach, in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 7 older adults, 22 family members, and 10 staff across 3 LTCHs via Zoom (Zoom Communications, Inc), Microsoft Teams, or phone calls. Data were analyzed using a directed content analysis informed by the technology acceptance model.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Findings were structured into 3 main themes: actual system use, perceived usefulness of WVT, and perceived ease of use of WVT. Participants described using a range of WVT hardware and software to promote social connection between older adults and family members. Videoconferencing had a crucial role in supporting older adults and their family members' positive emotional state while also enabling them to maintain life and social roles such as participating in family functions. Despite the perceived use of these tools, participants were concerned about the decline in offering videoconferencing services across LTCHs post pandemic. Some participants noted shifting funding priorities toward supporting in-person recreational activities rather than diversifying web-based social connection options. In addition, factors pertaining to WVT ease of use and integration included limited staff to support older adults with different physical and cognitive needs, variability in digital literacy including knowledge about accessibility features to enhance the ease of use, and families' lack of awareness about the availability of WVT for social connectedness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Web-based videoconferencing technology has the potential to be a meaningful tool to reduce social isolation and promote a sense of social connectedness among older adults and their families and friends. Future research should explore how WVT could be integrated int","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":"9 ","pages":"e73213"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12788786/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145946092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Virtual Kitchen Challenge-Version 2: Validation of a Digital Assessment of Everyday Function in Older Adults.","authors":"Marina Kaplan, Moira McKniff, Stephanie M Simone, Molly B Tassoni, Katherine Hackett, Sophia Holmqvist, Rachel E Mis, Kimberly Halberstadter, Riya Chaturvedi, Melissa Rosahl, Giuliana Vallecorsa, Mijiail D Serruya, Deborah A G Drabick, Takehiko Yamaguchi, Tania Giovannetti","doi":"10.2196/82092","DOIUrl":"10.2196/82092","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Conventional methods of functional assessment include subjective self- or informant report, which may be biased by personal characteristics, cognitive abilities, and lack of standardization (eg, influence of idiosyncratic task demands). Traditional performance-based assessments offer some advantages over self- or informant reports but are time-consuming to administer and score.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Virtual Kitchen Challenge-Version 2 (VKC-2), an objective, standardized, and highly efficient alternative to current functional assessments for older adults across the spectrum of cognitive aging, from preclinical to mild dementia.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 236 community-dwelling, diverse older adults completed a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation to classify cognitive status as healthy, mild cognitive impairment, or mild dementia, after adjustment for demographic variables (age, education, sex, and estimated IQ). Participants completed 2 everyday tasks (breakfast and lunch) in a virtual kitchen (VKC-2) using a touchscreen interface to select objects and sequence steps. Automated scoring reflected completion time and performance efficiency (eg, number of screen interactions, percentage of time spent off-screen, interactions with distractor objects). Participants also completed the VKC-2 tasks using real objects (Real Kitchen). All participants and informants for 219 participants completed questionnaires regarding everyday function. A subsample of participants (n=143) performed the VKC-2 again in a second session, 4-6 weeks after the baseline, for retest analyses. Analyses evaluated construct and convergent validity, as well as retest and internal reliability, of VKC-2 automated scores.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A principal component analysis showed that the primary VKC-2 automated scores captured a single dimension and could be combined into a composite score reflecting task efficiency. Construct validity was supported by analyses of covariance results showing that participants with healthy cognition obtained significantly better VKC-2 scores than participants with cognitive impairment (all Ps&lt;.001), even after controlling for demographics and general computer visuomotor dexterity. Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between VKC-2 scores and performance on the Real Kitchen (r=-0.58 to 0.64, Ps&lt;.001), conventional cognitive test scores (r=-0.50 to -0.22, Ps&lt;.001), and self- and informant report questionnaires evaluating everyday function (r=0.25 to 0.43, Ps&lt;.001). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated moderate to excellent retest reliability (ICC=0.70-0.90) for VKC-2 scores after 4-6 weeks. Reliability improved in analyses including only participants who reported no change in cognitive status between time 1 and time 2 (n=123). Spearman-Brown correlations showed acceptable to","PeriodicalId":36245,"journal":{"name":"JMIR Aging","volume":" ","pages":"e82092"},"PeriodicalIF":4.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12824580/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145688387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}