A Home-Based Exercise Program Driven by Tablet Application and Mobility Monitoring for Frail Older Adults: Feasibility and Practical Implications.
Stimulation of a physically active lifestyle among older adults is essential to health and well-being. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and user opinion of a home-based exercise program supported by a sensor and tablet application for frail older adults.



Community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥70 y) living in The Netherlands were recruited in 2014. Participants exercised 3 months with and 3 months without supervision from a remote coach. Feasibility was operationalized as adherence to exercise (percentage of 5 exercise bouts per week completed) and to wearing the sensor (with 70% defined as sufficient adherence) and the number of problems reported. User opinion was measured with a questionnaire addressing ease of use of the technology and opinion on the program.



Twenty-one of 40 enrolled participants completed the trial. Adherence overall was 60.9% (average of 3 bouts per week). Adherence among completers (69.2%) was significantly higher than adherence among dropouts (49.9%). Adherence was sufficient among completers during the 3 months of supervision (75.8%). Adherence to wearing the sensor was 66.7% and was significantly higher among completers than among dropouts (75.7% vs 54.2%). The rate of incidents was significantly lower among completers than among dropouts (0.4 vs 1.2 incidents per participant per week). Connectivity-related incidents were prominent. On a scale of 1 to 5, completers gave ratings of 4.3 (after 3 months) and 4.2 (after 6 months).



A home-based exercise program using novel technology seems feasible when participants are given a stable internet connection. This program shows promise for stimulating physical activity among older frail adults, especially if it offers regular coaching.
Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands. Email: hildegeraedts@gmail.com.
Hilde A E
HA
Geraedts
Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Institute of Movement and Sport Gerontology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Wiebren
W
Zijlstra
Philips Research Europe, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Wei
W
Zhang
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Orthopedics, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Sophie L W
SL
Spoorenberg
University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
Marcos
M
Báez
University of Trento, Trento, Italy.
Iman Khaghani
IK
Far
Philips Research Europe, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Heribert
H
Baldus
University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Orthopedics, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Martin
M
Stevens
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic