Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Aging
Date Submitted: Sep 20, 2018
Open Peer Review Period: Sep 21, 2018 - Sep 30, 2018
Date Accepted: Apr 23, 2019
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Older Adult and Engaged Caregiver Mobile Support: Dyad Usability Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Evaluation of interventions to support older adults’ independence and family caregiving are needed.
Objective:
The specific aim of this study was to determine the usability of a mobile application (app) in a community-based older adult population aged ≥65 years. The app is designed to improve engagement of the patient-informal (family) caregiver team, including sharing of health information.
Methods:
DESIGN: Observational usability study. SETTING: Participant homes, independent living, and assisted living facilities in Baltimore, Maryland. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years and their caregivers (n=24, 12 dyads). INTERVENTION: The intervention was a mobile and web based software app that allowed older adult users to record social and health information and share with caregivers. Older adults and caregivers, enrolled as a dyad, downloaded the app to a smart phone or accessed the web version, participated in training and onboarding, and used the app for a one-month study period. Participants responded to weekly surveys sent via app push notification, and usability and satisfaction surveys at the end of the study. MEASUREMENTS: Participant satisfaction and usability were assessed using the Modified Mobile Application Rating Scale (M-MARS), System Usability Scale (SUS).
Results:
Responses to the M-MARS were comparable between older adult and caregiver respondents on measures of engagement and functionality. Caregivers rated aesthetics slightly higher (mean 3.7) than older adult participants (mean 3.3). Although most responses to the SUS fell along the median (2.6-3.4), older adults and the caregivers differed significantly with regard to integration of app features (3.7 and 2.8 mean) and the need to learn more before using the app (2.3 and 3.1), respectively.
Conclusions:
Technology ownership and use among this cohort was high, and usability and engagement of the mobile software app was average. Additional training is recommended on targeted behaviors, i.e. digital health record keeping. Clinical Trial: N/A
Citation
Per the author's request the PDF is not available.
Copyright
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