Research project shows how technology can help older people

A USQ research project has shown how fitness trackers might assist active older people to maintain or increase their activity and sociability levels.

Participants in a USQ wearable technology study Margrit Rettke (left) and Rose McGuire (right) with facilitator Dr Ann Morrison from USQ's Digital Life Lab. Picture: USQ Photography, Katie Finn

A UNIVERSITY of Southern Queensland research project has shown how fitness trackers might assist active older people to maintain or increase their activity and sociability levels.

The study by Dr Ann Morrison on wearable fitness trackers and older-adult acceptance and use of the technology involved a small group of adults, each over 50, wearing fitness trackers over a three-month period and meeting weekly to share experiences.

Margrit Rettke and Rose McGuire were part of the initial study and still catch up with Dr Morrison each month.

"It was just something I saw in a newsletter and thought it sounded interesting," Ms Rettke said.

"Personally, I got a lot out of it. I met some nice people and started to be more aware of how many steps I was doing, and there was also a bit of a competition going with Rose."

Rose said while the official study had concluded she still wore her Fitbit and tracked her daily steps and sleep.

"I found the data very interesting," she said. "It has been a lot of fun and it made me put in more of an effort. There is always a lot to do but we try to make it a priority, it has become a habit that I hope can maintain forever."

Each week the group met, compared daily steps and sleeping patterns and discussed their general health. What started as a 12-week research project morphed into a special social network after the study finished.

"The results gave us an insight into how technology, in this case a Garmin VivoSmart tracker, assisted older adults to maintain their independence, feel safe in their mobility activities and keep active in their usual social networks or invigorate new ones," Dr Morrison said.

Originally published as Research project shows how technology can help older people