Moving together: Increasing physical activity in older adults with an intergenerational technology-based...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Physical activity is crucial for older adults' longevity and quality of life.
• Most older adults are insufficiently active, necessitating effective behavior change interventions.
• Intergenerational programs show promise for enhancing older adults' health and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the acceptability, functionality, and usability of a novel technology-driven intergenerational intervention for physical activity (PA) and age stereotypes.
• To identify challenges related to recruitment and retention in such interventions.

Main Methods:

• Four familial dyads (older adult ≥ 65 years, child 7–11 years) participated in a four-week trial.
• Participants used PA trackers to combine daily step counts, virtually completing a walk route via the World Walking platform.
• Thematic analysis was conducted on post-intervention focus groups with older adults, children, and parents.

Main Results:

• The technology-driven intergenerational intervention was found to be acceptable and engaging for participants.
• Qualitative analysis revealed key themes including engagement, positive experiences, operationality, and facilitators/barriers.
• Flexibility, individual choice, and avoiding rigid structures are important for designing interventions for older adults.

Conclusions:

• Technology-driven intergenerational interventions can be a viable approach to promote physical activity in older adults.
• Interventions should incorporate strategies to address negative perceptions of older adults' technology use.
• Future recruitment strategies should consider these findings to improve participation and retention.