Multilevel factors influencing eHealth adoption among older adults during the pandemic.

Introduction: While eHealth became prevalent in healthcare during the pandemic, eHealth adoption by older adults has been slow. This digital divide could lead to worsening health and healthcare disparities. Guided by the push-pull-mooring perspective, this study explored factors influencing eHealth adoption among older adults.

Unobtrusive Wearable System for Load Vertical Location Estimation.

Low back pain (LBP) is a leading musculoskeletal disorder, and manual material lifting is proven to be a major cause of LBP. However, current solutions for monitoring a major LBP risk factor - load vertical location (LVL), are not user-friendly or accurate, which makes them impractical for real-world applications. To address these problems, a user-friendly wearable system was proposed in this study to realize an accurate measurement of LVL over time.

Smart home automation technology to support caring of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia: an early intervention framework.

Purpose: Home automation technology comprising of Internet of Things and Smart gadgets is a rapidly growing industry that is projected to have a major scope for ageing-in-place and caregiving. This study examined the feasibility and cost-benefits of a personalized home automation intervention for care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) with emphasis on their safety and independence, and reduction of care burden.

Methods: A mixed method intervention study was conducted with five dyads each comprising of a caregiver and care recipient with ADRD.

Unpaid Caregiving and Aging in Place in the United States: Advancing the Value of Occupational Therapy.

Unpaid caregivers are often expected to help family members or friends overcome activity limitations and participation restrictions to successfully age in place. Caregivers assume multiple responsibilities, such as managing their own physical and psychosocial needs and navigating a complex health care system, and many feel ill equipped to fulfill the necessary health care responsibilities for their care recipients. Underprepared caregivers may cause poor outcomes for care recipients.

Validation of Smartphone Accelerometry for the Evaluation of Sit-To-Stand Performance and Lower-Extremity Function in Older Adults.

This study tested the concurrent and construct validity of smartphone accelerometry measurement of sit-to-stand (STS) performance in individuals aged 65-89 years. Normal and fast STS times were recorded by smartphone accelerometer, force plate, and video motion systems concurrently, and isokinetic knee extension power and STS whole-body power were obtained. Normal and fast speed STS times from a smartphone accelerometer agreed closely with force plate and motion system methods (mean difference = 0.

Stimulating Research to Enhance Aging in Place.

Older adults may benefit from interventions to successfully age in place. Research has an opportunity to test interventions and implementation strategies to fulfill the needs of older adults through collective evidence building. The purpose of this article is to describe the proceedings of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) 2019 Planning Grant Collective and describe the areas of research that were identified as critical.

Virtual reality-based treatment for regaining upper extremity function induces cortex grey matter changes in persons with acquired brain injury.

Background: Individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABI) are in need of neurorehabilitation and neurorepair. Virtual anatomical interactivity (VAI) presents a digital game-like format in which ABI survivors with upper limb paresis use an unaffected limb to control a standard input device and a commonplace computer mouse to control virtual limb movements and tasks in a virtual world.

Methods: In a prospective cohort study, 35 ambulatory survivors of ABI (25/71% stroke, 10/29% traumatic brain injury) were enrolled.

Determinants of information communication and smart home automation technology adoption for aging-in-place.

Purpose –: Smart home (SH) internet of things can promote home safety, health monitoring and independence of older adults to age-in-place. Despite its commercial growth, low adoption rates of the technology among aging consumers remain a major barrier. The purpose of this study is to examine SH technology ownership of older adults and its causal pathways with demographics, health and functioning, home safety and information communication technology (ICT) use.

Caregiver perspectives on a smart home-based socially assistive robot for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.

: Innovative assistive technology can address aging-in-place and caregiving needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD). The purpose of this study was to beta-test a novel socially assistive robot (SAR) with a cohort of ADRD caregivers and gather their perspectives on its potential integration in the home context.: The SAR involved a programmable research robot linked with commercially available Internet of things sensors to receive and respond to care recipient's behaviour.

Promoting Information Communication Technology Adoption and Acceptance for Aging-in-Place: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The prevailing digital divide along with barriers to information communication technology (ICT) adoption among older adults is well elucidated. To contribute evidence on ICT education, a 2-year randomized controlled trial verified the long-term effect of a novel individualized ICT training program for older adults in demographic cohorts who are known to underutilize ICT ( = 42 in the training and = 43 in a control group). Mixed-model repeated measures analysis of data was conducted from baseline and 6-month intervals ( = 4, 1) post training.

Reliability and validity of the usability scale for assistive technology for computer access: a preliminary study using video-based evaluation.

: The focus of this research was to establish the interrater reliability and content validity of the Usability Scale for Assistive Technology-Computer Access (USAT-CA), an evaluation tool to facilitate selection of computer access AT devices for individuals with disabilities.: AT providers used the USAT-CA to evaluate two clients with physical disabilities interacting with their computer. Initially, an expert cohort of six providers used a draft version of the USAT-CA and provided feedback.

Profiles and Predictors of Smart Home Technology Adoption by Older Adults.

The commercial popularity of smart home (SH) technology has broadened the scope of aging-in-place and home health occupational therapy. The objective of this article is to examine ownership of SH technology by older adults, their readiness to adopt SH technology, and identify the client factors relating to the adoption. A survey of older adults aged 60 and above living in the community was conducted.

Multi-stakeholder perspectives on information communication technology training for older adults: implications for teaching and learning.

The objective of this research was to identify and conceptualize barriers and strategies for effective implementation of information communication technology (ICT) training for older adults. A grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyze qualitative data from 61 participants in three stakeholder groups: older-adult ICT trainees, care providers and ICT trainers. Care providers expressed older adults' reluctance, lack of affinity, fears and socio-contextual attributes as barriers to overcome with ICT training.

Effect of diagnosis, body site and experience on text entry rate of individuals with physical disabilities: a systematic review.

Objective: This study systematically reviewed the research on computer text entry by people with physical disabilities, and conducted a quantitative synthesis of text entry rates associated with individuals' diagnosis, body site used with the interface and their level of experience.

Method: We searched 10 databases and included studies in which: typing speed was reported; the access interface was available for public use; and individuals with physical impairments were in the study population. For quantitative synthesis, we used only the text entry rates (TER) reported for individuals with physical impairments; studies also had to report the sample size, and the average and standard deviation for the text entry rates.

Text entry rate of access interfaces used by people with physical disabilities: A systematic review.

This study systematically reviewed the research on assistive technology (AT) access interfaces used for text entry, and conducted a quantitative synthesis of text entry rates (TER) associated with common interfaces. We searched 10 databases and included studies in which: typing speed was reported in words per minute (WPM) or equivalent; the access interface was available for public use; and individuals with physical impairments were in the study population. For quantitative synthesis, we used only the TER reported for individuals with physical impairments.

A survey of assistive technology service providers in the USA.

This study investigates perspectives of assistive technology service (ATS) providers regarding their education and training, interdisciplinary standards of practice, use of a common language framework, funding policies, utilization of evidence and outcomes measurement. A survey underpinned by AT legislations and established guidelines for practice was completed by 318 certified AT providers. More than 30% of the providers reported their education and training as inadequate to fulfil four of the seven primary roles of ATS.

A home-based individualized information communication technology training program for older adults: a demonstration of effectiveness and value.

Purpose: To demonstrate the effectiveness and value of a home-based information communication technology (ICT) training program for older adults.

Methods: Thirteen older adults were provided in-home ICT training by graduate occupational therapy students using an iPad. The breadth and frequency of ICT use, perspectives on technology, and perceived independence were recorded at baseline, during the 3-month training and at follow-up, along with an end-of-study questionnaire.

Pilot study: Computer-based virtual anatomical interactivity for rehabilitation of individuals with chronic acquired brain injury.

Deficiencies in upper-limb motor function and executive functioning can compromise an affected individual's ability to complete everyday activities. Impaired motor and executive functioning therefore pose a risk to increasing numbers of veterans who have been diagnosed with acquired brain injury. This article reports on changes in upper-limb motor function and executive functioning of 12 adult participants with chronic acquired brain injury using a novel, computer-based, motor and cognitive rehabilitation program called PreMotor Exercise Games (PEGs).

An examination of occupation-based, client-centered, evidence-based occupational therapy practices in New Hampshire.

This study surveyed occupational therapy practitioners to gain a better understanding of the nature of occupational therapy practices in the State of New Hampshire. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to a sample of practitioners working in New Hampshire to gather information regarding the extent to which occupation-based, client-centered, evidence-based services were being provided. Results suggested that practitioners highly value these service delivery attributes.

Exploring occupational justice in consumer perspectives on assistive technology.

Background: Occupational justice is an emerging paradigm in the provision of occupational therapy services. Assistive technology (AT) services, a key practice domain in occupational therapy, facilitate the participation of individuals with disabilities in all major occupations.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to explore personal meanings of occupational justice among consumers of AT and to propose strategies that integrate values of occupational justice in AT services.

Comparative observations of learning engagement by students with developmental disabilities using an Ipad and computer: a pilot study.

This study examined the use of the Apple iPad for learning by children with developmental disabilities (DD), including those on the autism spectrum. A single case design was used to record the participation of four students with DD when taught with their standard computer at baseline, followed by the introduction of the iPad. A six-component participation scale was developed to quantify observations of these students during the learning sessions.

Consumer perspectives on the usability and value of the iBOT(®) wheelchair: findings from a case series.

Purpose: The iBOT(®) is an advanced power wheelchair introduced in 2003 for people with mobility impairments to enhance their independence and community access. Although this innovation soon gained popularity, the production of this wheelchair was recently stopped owing to the lower-than-expected sale figures. In this scenario, this study examines the impact of this wheelchair on current consumers by highlighting its usability in multiple contexts and verifying the value associated with its ownership.

Assistive technology device classification based upon the World Health Organization's, International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Purpose: To develop an assistive technology device classification (ATDC) consistent with the Assistive Technology Act (ATA2004), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA2008), International Classification System of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision-Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) and American Medical Association's Current Procedural Terminology (CPT).

Background: Current assistive technology device (ATD) classifications include: the National Classification System for Assistive Technology Devices and ATSs (RTI/NCS) published in 2000; ISO 9999: technical aids for persons with disabilities - classification and terminology (ISO 9999) published in 1992, 1998, 2002 and 2007 and ICF-based AT classification (ICF/AT2007) published in 2009.

Objectives: To derive 'requirements' for ATD classification from the ATA2004, ADA2008, ICF, ICD-9-CM and CPT.

Measuring usability of assistive technology from a multicontextual perspective: the case of power wheelchairs.

Assistive technology (AT) devices enable people with disabilities to function in multiple contexts and activities. The usability of such devices is fundamentally indicative of the user's level of participation in multiple roles and occupations. Seventy people who used power wheelchairs were interviewed using a novel tool, the Usability Scale for Assistive Technology (USAT).

Conceptualization and measurement of assistive technology usability.

Unlabelled: The concept of product usability has been discussed in several areas of product research and development. Usability, within the realm of assistive technology (AT) devices, determines how effectively and efficiently AT users with disabilities can function in different contexts and environments.

Objective: This article conceptualizes and proposes the significance of AT usability and its measurement in entirety from a human factors perspective.