New Technologies for Enhancing Health in Older Adults
NCT Number: NCT06511115
Status: COMPLETED
Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
Phases: NA
Conditions: Older People
Interventions: OTHER: Experimental Group
Sponsor: University of Jaén
Sex: ALL
Age: ADULT, OLDER_ADULT
Enrollment: 76
Study Design: Allocation: RANDOMIZED|Intervention Model: PARALLEL|Masking: TRIPLE (CARE_PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES_ASSESSOR)|Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
Start Date: 2024-02-05
Completion Date: 2024-04-12
Locations: Agustín Aibar Almazán, Jaén, Spain

Summary:
New technologies, such as mobile apps, health monitoring devices, interactive video games, and telemedicine platforms, have become invaluable for improving the physical, mental, and cognitive health of older adults. They help maintain flexibility, strengthen muscles, improve balance and posture, alleviate chronic pain, enhance sleep quality, and reduce stress and anxiety. Tools like the Nintendo Wii promote physical activity, improve coordination, and offer social interaction. Overall, these technologies support better mental health, emotional well-being, and independence, contributing to a higher quality of life for older adults.

Primary Outcome Measures: Balance and gait, Tinetti. Completion time: 8-10 minutes. While walking behind the patient, the evaluator asks them to respond to the questions from the gait subscale. To answer the balance subscale, the interviewer stands next to the patient. A higher score indicates better functioning. The maximum score for the gait subscale is 12, and for the balance subscale, it is 16. The sum of both scores is used to assess the risk of falls. A higher score indicates a lower risk. A score of less than 19 signifies a high risk of falls., Up to twelve weeks|Chair sit and reach test, The test measures low back and hamstring flexibility. Sitting on a chair against a wall, one foot stays flat on the floor. Extend the other leg forward with knee straight, heel down, and ankle bent at 90°. Stack hands with middle fingers aligned. Inhale, then exhale while reaching toward toes without bouncing or pain. Keep back straight and head up, holding the stretch for 2 seconds. Measure distance between fingertips and toes: zero if touching, negative if not touching, positive if overlapping. Record to nearest 1/2 inch or 1 cm, noting which leg was used., Up to twelve weeks|Back scratch test, The shoulder range of motion test is conducted standing. Place one hand behind the head and over the shoulder, reaching down the middle of your back with palm touching your body and fingers pointing downwards. The other hand goes behind your back, palm out and fingers up, aiming to touch or overlap the middle fingers of both hands. An assistant aligns fingers and measures the distance between their tips. Score zero if fingertips touch, negative if not touching, positive if overlapping. Perform two practice attempts and two test attempts, stopping if pain occurs. Record the best score to the nearest centimeter or half inch for assessment., Up to twelve weeks|30 second chair stand test, Evaluates lower extremity strength. To perform the chair stand test: Use a chair with a 44 cm high seat and no armrests, secured against a wall. Ensure consistency by using the same chair for future tests. Participants should wear comfortable sports or walking shoes. Sit with feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent over 90 degrees, and heels closer to the chair than knees. Cross arms over chest. Start the stopwatch and instruct the participant to stand up fully and sit down, counting each cycle as one repetition within 30 seconds. If the 30-second mark aligns mid-action (standing up or sitting down), count it as a full repetition. Participants can rest during the test, but timing continues until 30 seconds elapsed., Up to twelve weeks