Using Geocaching to Promote Active Aging: Qualitative Study.
active ageing
elderly empowerment
geocaching
qualitative methods
Journal
Journal of medical Internet research
ISSN: 1438-8871
Titre abrégé: J Med Internet Res
Pays: Canada
ID NLM: 100959882
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
11 06 2020
11 06 2020
Historique:
received:
03
07
2019
accepted:
22
02
2020
revised:
30
01
2020
entrez:
12
6
2020
pubmed:
12
6
2020
medline:
15
12
2020
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Over the past few years, the development of technologies supporting active aging has been increasing. Among the activities that promote physical exercise by using technologies is geocaching-a treasure hunt of sorts in which participants use a receiver GPS to hide or find real or virtual objects. Although this activity is particularly suited to the promotion of healthy lifestyles in older people, geocaching remains to be unexplored in this area. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of activities combining geocaching and self-tracking technologies to promote active aging, evaluate the usability of technologies, and explore the ways in which technologies have been integrated in the organizational context under examination to determine the user experience of participants. A group of individuals aged 65 years and older (N=14) attending a senior center managed by a social cooperative was involved in the study. Some of them created the geocaching contents, and others, split into 2 teams, participated in the game. Each participant was given a pedometer bracelet and the geocaching app. The steps taken by individual participants along with the number of caches found by each group translated into team scores. The main results of the study were as follows: (1) activities in favor of active aging that involve the use of new technologies can foster the participation of elderly people; in particular, adding gamification to self-tracking can be a valid strategy to promote physical exercise among the elderly; (2) for this to happen, involvement of older people firsthand is crucial, and there must be a focus on their active involvement and empowerment in every phase of the project; and (3) the mediation of conflicts and competition that arise from the gamification could only take place because of the strong support of the organization in the form of social workers. The results show that promoting active aging through technologies requires more effort than simply using these tools; it requires a wider process that involves an articulated organizational network with heterogeneous actors, technologies, and relations.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Over the past few years, the development of technologies supporting active aging has been increasing. Among the activities that promote physical exercise by using technologies is geocaching-a treasure hunt of sorts in which participants use a receiver GPS to hide or find real or virtual objects. Although this activity is particularly suited to the promotion of healthy lifestyles in older people, geocaching remains to be unexplored in this area.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of activities combining geocaching and self-tracking technologies to promote active aging, evaluate the usability of technologies, and explore the ways in which technologies have been integrated in the organizational context under examination to determine the user experience of participants.
METHODS
A group of individuals aged 65 years and older (N=14) attending a senior center managed by a social cooperative was involved in the study. Some of them created the geocaching contents, and others, split into 2 teams, participated in the game. Each participant was given a pedometer bracelet and the geocaching app. The steps taken by individual participants along with the number of caches found by each group translated into team scores.
RESULTS
The main results of the study were as follows: (1) activities in favor of active aging that involve the use of new technologies can foster the participation of elderly people; in particular, adding gamification to self-tracking can be a valid strategy to promote physical exercise among the elderly; (2) for this to happen, involvement of older people firsthand is crucial, and there must be a focus on their active involvement and empowerment in every phase of the project; and (3) the mediation of conflicts and competition that arise from the gamification could only take place because of the strong support of the organization in the form of social workers.
CONCLUSIONS
The results show that promoting active aging through technologies requires more effort than simply using these tools; it requires a wider process that involves an articulated organizational network with heterogeneous actors, technologies, and relations.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32525486
pii: v22i6e15339
doi: 10.2196/15339
pmc: PMC7317631
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e15339Informations de copyright
©Silvia Fornasini, Marco Dianti, Alessandro Bacchiega, Stefano Forti, Diego Conforti. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 11.06.2020.
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