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Digital Creative Art Interventions (DCAIs) are innovative approaches to art interventions using digital technology, which can improve older adults' health. However, a comprehensive summary of the implementation of this intervention among older adults is lacking.
To summarise the deliveries and categories of DCAIs, review their feasibility and roles in older adults' healthcare, and explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing DCAIs in older adults.
Scoping review.
This scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's framework, and PRISMA-ScR was used to guide the report.
PubMed, Embase, EBSCOhost, Web of Science and Cochrane Library on 26 February 2024.
Thirty-one studies were selected in this review. We summarised the deliveries and categories of DCAIs in older adults. Besides, we cleared DCAIs to offer music, dance, museum, photo collage, drama, visual art interaction and mixed art intervention to older adults, primarily through videoconferencing or mobile applications. The five health promotion roles were physiological health enhancer, psychological caregiver, socialisation supporter, cognitive promoter and life optimiser. Most older adults believed DCAIs were not only feasible and acceptable, but they also met some barriers such as technological problems, problems brought about by older adults' decline in functioning, experience and privacy.
Despite the unique advantages of DCAIs, continuous improvements are needed. In the future, researchers and healthcare workers should focus on platform improvements, increasing interactivity, diversifying formats and ensuring security and privacy.
This review found that DCAIs offered new approaches to treatment options for older adults' physical and mental health. Therefore, it is recommended that they be continuously optimised and put into clinical practice.
No patient or public contribution.
This study summarised the DCAIs and provides the new approach for health promotion in older adults.
OSF (https://osf.io/m62x9/, registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/4ZGE6)
To explore the perspectives of community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenia on exercise engagement and adherence.
Sarcopenia is prevalent among community-dwelling older adults and is associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes. Encouragingly, it is a treatable and potentially reversible condition through exercise interventions. However, studies on this population's views on exercise are scant, thus limiting the design and delivery of tailored, sustainable exercise interventions in primary care.
A descriptive qualitative study.
Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 27 community-dwelling older adults with sarcopenia from four community care centres in China between October 2023 and February 2024. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Four main themes with their respective subthemes were identified from the data analysis and described as: (1) limited capability to identify and engage in appropriate exercise; (2) various motivations influenced by personal values, resilience and habits; (3) exercise behaviour shaped by environmental and social factors; (4) expectations for community-based exercise programmes.
Older adults with sarcopenia often misbelieve muscle issues to be normal ageing, leaving their condition undiagnosed and unmanaged. Limited information about appropriate exercises leads them to engage in simple, unstructured activities. Motivation levels and contextual factors influence their exercise engagement and adherence. Nurse-led tailored, evidence-based and group-based programmes, complemented by home-based exercise resources, are needed to address challenges and support long-term adherence.
This study provides new insights into the perspectives, challenges and expectations of exercise in this specific population. Findings inform nurse-led exercise programmes in primary care that meet the needs and preferences of this population.
This study follows the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Studies.
Participant interviews offered valuable perspectives on exercise engagement and adherence.
To summarise peer support in digital use and digital health interventions for older adults.
The following databases were searched (from 2010 to 2024): PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and EBSCOhost.
This review is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. All articles selected and extracted were double-checked. The data were analysed using the inductive descriptive approach and presented in table and narrative form.
This review included 21 studies involving adults aged 60 or older, primarily from developed countries, and focused on the post-21st century. Peer support included peer digital support through face-to-face or online, peer-led or coached in digital intervention, peer motivation and companionship in digital health interventions, group-based mutual support through social media and online health platforms through websites or apps. The social cognitive theory was the common theoretical framework. Most studies indicate high feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness in six health domains. It facilitated information and behaviour exchange, improved mental health, enhanced social support, increased cost-effectiveness and adherence. However, some studies have shown ineffectiveness, influenced by peer support design issues, negative social norms, technological issues, network size and study design limitations. Besides, qualitative results indicated positive experiences enhanced personal worth and social connection, while negative experiences involved technological barriers, emotional burdens, privacy issues and lack of recognition.
Peer support represents a valuable complement to existing digital use and digital health interventions for older adults, with important implications for practices in healthcare and outcomes.
Further research should optimise peer support, maintain bi-directional relationships, explore mechanisms of influence, analyse cost-effectiveness, utilise machine-learning algorithms, apply digital peer support to more health domains and call for healthcare providers to develop relevant policies or strategies.
No patient or public contribution.
FreshRSS 