Technologies for Participatory Medicine and Health Promotion in the Elderly Population

Summary

Introduction: The progressive aging of the population is a socio-demographic phenomenon experienced by most countries in the world in recent decades, especially in Japan and in many European Union countries. During this process, so-called "geriatric syndromes" frequently occur. The focus of this study is the quality of life of the elderly in relation to these three factors: risk of falls, urinary incontinence, and insomnia.

Objective: The main purpose is to determine the impact of a multifactorial intervention program implemented with institutionalized elderly people. The program is focused on the treatment of the aforementioned factors.

Methods and Analysis: The study will be carried out with elderly people living in three residences for the elderly in A Coruña Province (Galicia, Spain).

It is a prospective and longitudinal study, with a temporary series design of a "quasi-experimental" type that evaluates the effect of an intervention in one given population by doing assessments pre- and post-intervention, but there is no comparison with a control group.

The intervention will be based on a multifactorial program, including the following phases: the use of wearable devices (wearable fitness trackers to register physical activity and sleep), the use of an App on a Tablet to record the participants' occupations and activities, counseling about performance in activities of daily living, the implementation of a physical activity program, and the treatment of the pelvic floor (according to each research line). The Quality of Life (QoL) will be assessed before and after the intervention, with the use of the questionnaire EuroQol-5D-5L. Data analysis will be applied with all registered variables through a quantitative perspective.

Conditions

• Aging
• Age Problem

Interventions

OTHER

Physical activities program

To implement this line, the protocol of the VIVIFRAIL Project will be used as a reference. That protocol has different physical exercises, divided into itineraries, in order to adapt it to a person's capability. Several sessions of this research line will employ the use of videogames so that the elderly can explore new forms of physical activity and thus establish contact and expertise with new technologies. It is estimated that two sessions per week over two months are needed for each person to continue doing physical activity independently and with autonomy.

OTHER

Relaxation training

Will take place with those participants who are included in the research lines of insomnia and risk of falls. It is estimated that two sessions per week for one month are needed.

OTHER

Training of the pelvic floor

the intervention will apply to participants enrolled in the research line dealing with urinary incontinence during the six months of intervention, with a frequency of two sessions per week

BEHAVIORAL

Counseling about occupational performance

After the physical activity and relaxation programs, the counselling will start. With each participant, routines and daily activities will be planned that will be adequate according to different recommendations about urinary incontinence, insomnia and risk of falls. Different performance guidelines will be established in order to establish a good balance between activities. The guidelines can include the recommendations about adjustments to the environment. It is estimated that three sessions per week for two months are needed to incorporate advice and routines into the daily lives of participants.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Geriatros

  collaborator OTHER

• Center on Information and Communication Technologies

  collaborator OTHER

• Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de A Coruna

  collaborator OTHER

• Aldaba

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Cobián Clinic

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Universidade da Coruña

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Javier P Pereira, PhD · University of A Coruña

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-03-01

Primary Completion

2018-11-30

Completion

2019-12-31

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations