Feasibility and Usage of a Virtual Assistant Device in Cognitively Impaired Homebound Older Adults

Social technology in older adults can improve self-rated health; however, there can also be difficulties using it. Our study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of virtual assistant device (VAD) use in cognitively impaired homebound older adults. 52 newly referred Meals on Wheels clients aged 60 and older were recruited for a three-phase study: 6 weeks of meals alone (control), followed by 6 weeks of meals+Alexa Echo Show 8 (AES8) basic usage, and lastly 6 weeks of meals+AES8 advanced usage. Technology acceptance with the AES8 was significantly higher by the end of the study and participants anecdotally enjoyed playing music, setting reminders, and accessing spiritual content. There were also associations with improvements in memory, depression, and gait speed, despite no specific health programming. Thus, we believe use of VADs for cognitively impaired homebound older adults have future potential to benefit their cognitive and physical health. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04581317. Impact Statement: We certify that this work is novel because we were able to highlight improvements in the feasibility of use of a voice-activated virtual assistant device, technology acceptance, and some health indicators for underserved, cognitively impaired homebound older adults.