Research on a Community-based Platform for Promoting Health and Physical Fitness in the Elderly Community

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 2; p. e57452
• Main Authors: Tsai, Tsai-Hsuan, Wong, Alice May-Kuen, Hsu, Chien-Lung, Tseng, Kevin C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 27.02.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Aged; Biomedical Technology; Communities; Community-Based Participatory Research; Computer & video games; Computer Science; Engineering; Environmental monitoring; Female; Females; Fitness; Frailty; Geriatrics; Grip strength; Health promotion; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Male; Males; Medical technology; Medicine; Motivation; Older people; Physical fitness; Physical Fitness - physiology; Reaction time; Remote sensors; Reproducibility of Results; Residence Characteristics; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Surveys and Questionnaires; Technology; Technology utilization; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057452

This study aims to assess the acceptability of a fitness testing platform (iFit) for installation in an assisted living community with the aim of promoting fitness and slowing the onset of frailty. The iFit platform develops a means of testing Bureau of Health Promotion mandated health assessment items for the elderly (including flexibility tests, grip strength tests, balance tests, and reaction time tests) and integrates wireless remote sensors in a game-like environment to capture and store subject response data, thus providing individuals in elderly care contexts with a greater awareness of their own physical condition. In this study, we specifically evaluated the users' intention of using the iFit using a technology acceptance model (TAM). A total of 101 elderly subjects (27 males and 74 females) were recruited. A survey was conducted to measure technology acceptance, to verify that the platform could be used as intended to promote fitness among the elderly. Results indicate that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and usage attitude positively impact behavioral intention to use the platform. The iFit platform can offer user-friendly solutions for a community-based fitness care and monitoring of elderly subjects. In summary, iFit was determined by three key drivers and discussed as follows: risk factors among the frail elderly, mechanism for slowing the advance frailty, and technology acceptance and support for promoting physical fitness.