Technology and Dementia Preconference

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Public Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Cardiovascular Health and Cognitive Function

Background:

• Latin America faces an aging population, increasing the burden of age-related diseases like cardiovascular conditions and dementia.
• Mobile health (mHealth) applications present a promising avenue for promoting healthy lifestyles among older adults.
• Chile lacks mHealth tools for multimodal lifestyle interventions, despite evidence of their effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and validation of the NeoMayor mHealth application.
• To assess the impact of a multimodal lifestyle intervention delivered via mHealth on the health of older adults.

Main Methods:

• The NeoMayor app was developed through 26 co-creation sessions with users, expert consultations, and a literature review.
• A pilot study involved 60 independent and cognitively normal older adults.
• Clinical and cognitive assessments were conducted before and after a two-month intervention period using the NeoMayor app.

Main Results:

• Participants showed significant improvements in cardiovascular health, with the Life´s Essential 8 index increasing from 64 to 68 (p <0.001).
• Key health indicators improved, including reduced systolic blood pressure (10 mmHg), waist circumference (6 cm), weight, and fasting glucose levels.
• Significant enhancements were observed in physical activity (IPAQ score), physical performance (SPPB), mobility (Timed Up and Go test), and dietary habits (MeDDiet score).

Conclusions:

• NeoMayor is the first mHealth tool in Chile developed and validated to promote healthy lifestyles, cardiovascular, and brain health in older adults.
• The app demonstrated significant positive impacts on multiple health domains in the pilot study.
• NeoMayor offers an effective, accessible, and affordable solution for promoting healthy aging in older populations.