Extended reality (XR) technologies are increasingly being used in different application areas. One such area is for healthcare, which has seen significant developments over the last few years. However, its use for healthcare education is still in its infancy. This paper presents a case study, which explores the use of virtual reality (VR) technology in the healthcare domain. In particular, an application targeting education of various conditions healthcare providers might meet in older adult care is evaluated using different subjective evaluations methodologies, with nursing students and professional healthcare staff. The overall results show promising directions and use of new technology applications in this domain, but also highlights some of the potential problems with its adoption. 

Introduction: Exploring the association between technology use and sleep health in older adults is important as digital engagement becomes integrated into society.

Objective: This study aimed to examine sleep health and its association with technology use in a population-based cohort of 60 years and older.

Methods: This cross-sectional, population-based study (2023) included 436 older adults from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care, Blekinge (SNAC-B) population. These participants were sent questionnaires about their sleep, internet usage, Digital Social Participation (DSP), Technology Anxiety (TA), Technology Enthusiasm (TE), and use of information and communication technology. We used a multidimensional instrument, SATED, to measure sleep health. In this study, we conducted statistical analyses using the chi2 test, T-test, Pearson correlation, and backward linear and logistic regression.

Results: Our study found that older adults (60 years+) have a mean sleep health score of 7.40 (SD = 2.03). TE (,) and DSP (,) were positively associated with better sleep health, while TA (,) was negatively associated. Frequent internet users(M = 7.6) and engaging with screens before bedtime (M = 7.7) had higher sleep health scores compared to non-frequent users (M = 6.90,) and none or seldom engagement with screens before bedtime (M = 7.10,) respectively. Linear regression showed TE positively associated (= 0.241,) while TA negatively associated (= -0.220,) with sleep health. DSP was found to be a predictor of better satisfaction (OR: 1.32,), efficiency (OR: 1.16,), and duration of sleep (OR:1.16,). Lower TA predicted better satisfaction (OR: 0.81,), timing (OR: 0.74,), and efficiency (OR:0.78,) of sleep. Older adults who use technology one hour before sleep have better sleep timing (OR: 3.003,), while those who do use mobile phones with a screen during the awake period after sleep onset have poor sleep timing (OR:0.016,).

Conclusions: DSP and TE support better sleep health, while TA negatively impacts sleep satisfaction, timing, and efficiency. Encouraging positive digital engagement and minimizing technology-related stress may promote healthier sleep in older adults. 

Inadequate sleep in older adults is linked to health issues such as frailty, cognitive impairment, and cardiovascular disorders. Maintaining regular sleep patterns is important for healthy aging, making effective sleep monitoring essential. While polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard for diagnosing sleep disorders, its regular use in home settings is limited. Alternative objective monitoring methods in the home can offer insights into natural sleep patterns and factors affecting them without the limitations of PSG.

This scoping review aims to examine current technologies, sensors, and sleep parameters used for home-based sleep monitoring in older adults. It also aims to explore various predictors and outcomes associated with sleep to understand the factors of sleep monitoring at home. 

We identified 54 relevant articles using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and an AI tool (Research Rabbit), with 48 studies using wearable technologies and eight studies using non-wearable technologies. Further, six types of sensors were utilized. The most common technology employed was actigraphy wearables, while ballistocardiography and electroencephalography were less common. The most frequent objective parameters of sleep measured were Total Sleep Time (TST), Wakeup After Sleep Onset (WASO), and Sleep Efficiency (SE), with only six studies evaluating sleep architecture in terms of sleep stages. Additionally, six categories of predictors and outcomes associated with sleep were analyzed, including Health-related, Environmental, Interventional, Behavioral, Time and Place, and Social associations. These associations correlate with TST, WASO, and SE and include in-bed behaviors, exterior housing conditions, aerobic exercise, living place, relationship status, and seasonal thermal environments.

This study discusses the initial stage of development of a PhD course within the field of Applied Health Technology (AHT), in a multi-professional and transdisciplinary environment. The research aimed to align stakeholders' and PhD graduates' perspectives in order to create learning outcomes for a proposed AHT course. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders and graduates of the programme, and the results were analysed using a qualitative content analysis method. The identified themes related to AHT perspectives, issues with working with AHT projects, programme goals, and course goals. These guided the creation of four strategically aligned learning outcomes for the proposed course.

Older adults need to participate in the digital society, as societal and personal changes and what they do with the remaining time that they have in their older years has an undeniable effect on motivation, cognition and emotion. Changes in personality traits were investigated in older adults over the period 2019–2021. Technology enthusiasm and technology anxiety are attitudes that affect the relationship to the technology used. The changes in the score of technology enthusiasm and technology anxiety were the dependent variables. They were investigated with personality traits, age, gender, education, whether someone lives alone, cognitive function, digital social participation (DSP) and health literacy as predictors of the outcome. The Edwards-Nunnally index and logistic regression were used. The results indicated that DSP, lower age, lower neuroticism and higher education were indicative of less technology anxiety. High DSP and high extraversion are indicative of technology enthusiasm. DSP and attitude towards technology seem to be key in getting older adults to stay active online. © The Author(s) 2023.

Background and aims: eHealth literacy is important as it influences health-promoting behaviors and health. The ability to use eHealth resources is essential to maintaining health, especially during COVID-19 when both physical and psychological health were affected. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of eHealth literacy and its association with psychological distress and perceived health status among older adults in Blekinge, Sweden. Furthermore, this study aimed to assess if perceived health status influences the association between eHealth literacy and psychological distress.

Methods: This cross-sectional study (October 2021-December 2021) included 678 older adults’ as participants of the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care, Blekinge (SNAC-B). These participants were sent questionnaires about their use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we conducted the statistical analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance, Kendall’s tau-b rank correlation, and multiple linear regression.

Results: We found that 68.4% of the participants had moderate to high levels of eHealth literacy in the population. Being female, age <75<75 years, and having a higher education are associated with high eHealth literacy (𝑝<0.05p<0.05). eHealth literacy is significantly correlated (𝜏τ=0.12, p-value=0.002) and associated with perceived health status (𝛽β=0.39, p-value=0.008). It is also significantly correlated (𝜏τ=-0.12, p-value=0.001) and associated with psychological distress (𝛽β=-0.14, p-value=0.002). The interaction of eHealth literacy and good perceived health status reduced psychological distress (𝛽β=-0.30, p-value=0.002).

Conclusions: In our cross-sectional study, we found that the point prevalence of eHealth literacy among older adults living in Blekinge, Sweden is moderate to high, which is a positive finding. However, there are still differences among older adults based on factors such as being female, younger than 75 years, highly educated, in good health, and without psychological distress. The results indicated that psychological distress could be mitigated during the pandemic by increasing eHealth literacy and maintaining good health status. 

COVID-19 has affected the psychological health of older adults directly and indirectly through recommendations of social distancing and isolation. Using the internet or digital tools to participate in society, one might mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on psychological health. This study explores the social participation of older adults through internet use as a social platform during COVID-19 and its relationship with various psychological health aspects. In this study, we used the survey as a research method, and we collected data through telephonic interviews; and online and paper-based questionnaires. The results showed an association of digital social participation with age and feeling lack of company. Furthermore, in addition, to the increase in internet use in older adults in Sweden during COVID-19, we conclude that digital social participation is essential to maintain psychological health in older adults.

Background: Europe has called attention to the importance of the e-inclusion of older adults. Society is indicating that the developers, websites, and devices are causing age bias in technology. This affects living independently, the values of ethical principles associated with an older person, and digital ageism: which is an age-related bias in artificial intelligence systems. Objective: This research attempts to investigate the instrument technology anxiety and enthusiasm, and assistive technology devices during the period 2019- 2021. This instrument may be a way to redress misconceptions about digital ageism. The assistive technology device that we will investigate in this study is the adoption of a service that is designed for online health consultations. Method: The participants are part of the longitudinal Swedish National Study on Aging and Care. Technology anxiety and technology enthusiasm are two factors, which aim to measure technophilia (vs technophobia) in older adults. The age range is 63 -99 years of age in 2019 T1 and 66 -101 in 2021 T2. Wilcoxon rank test was conducted to investigate technology enthusiasm, technology anxiety, and how they changed with time. An Edwards Nunnally index was then calculated for both variables to observe a significant change in score from T1 to T2. Mann Whitney U test was used to investigate the variables sex and health status with technology anxiety & technology enthusiasm in T1 & T2. Age, Cognitive function MMSE, and digital social participation were investigated through a Kruskall-Wallis test. A logistic regression was conducted with the significant variable. Results: Between 2019-2021, change in technology enthusiasm was based on less digital social participation (OR: 0.608; CI 95%: 0.476- 0.792). Technology anxiety was significantly higher due to age (OR: 1.086, CI 95%: 1.035-1.139) and less digital social participation (OR: 0.684; CI 95%: 0.522- 0.895). The want for online healthcare consultations was popular but usage was low. Conclusion: Staying active on- line and participating digitally may be a way to reduce digital ageism. However, digital ageism is a complex phenomenon, which requires different solutions in order to include older people and reduce an inaccurate categorisation of this group in the digital society.

Background: Frail older adults are high consumers of medical care due to their age and multiple chronic conditions. Regular contact with a case manager has been proven to increase well-being of frail older adults and reduce their number of health-care visits. Skype calls through tablet PCs can offer easier communication. Objective: This paper examines frail older adults’ use of tablet computers and Skype, with their case managers.Method: Interviews were conducted on 15 frail older adults. A content analysis was used to structure and analyze the data. Results: The results indicate that tablet computers were experienced in a positive way for most frail older adults. Conflicting feelings did emerge, however, as to whether the frail elderly would adopt this in the long run. Skype needs to be tested further as to whether this is a good solution for communication with their case managers. Strong technical support and well-functioning technology are important elements to facilitate use. Conclusion: Using Skype and tablet PCs do have potential for frail older adults, but need to be tested further. © 2015 Taylor & Francis

Older adults living in rural and urban areas have shown to distinguish themselves in technology adoption; a clearer profile of their Internet use is important in order to provide better technological and health-care solutions. Older adults' Internet use was investigated across large to midsize cities and rural Sweden. The sample consisted of 7181 older adults ranging from 59 to 100 years old. Internet use was investigated with age, education, gender, household economy, cognition, living alone/or with someone and rural/urban living. Logistic regression was used. Those living in rural areas used the Internet less than their urban counterparts. Being younger and higher educated influenced Internet use; for older urban adults, these factors as well as living with someone and having good cognitive functioning were influential. Solutions are needed to avoid the exclusion of some older adults by a society that is today being shaped by the Internet.