Working Group
WG 3
Research methodology for technology-assisted PA and exercise interventions in old age
Description
The WG will prepare two scoping reviews describing the technology and sample characteristics of 1) home-based and 2) clinical/laboratory-based technology-assisted exercise/physical activity interventions in older adults to identify the reasons, risks and mechanisms for pitfalls and problems. Further systematic reviews will follow in order to prepare the background for the guidelines (D3.1; D3.2) which will use the formal consensus procedure and include appropriate assessment standards.
Objectives
The main objective of WG3 is to collect and analyze methodological issues related to technology-assisted PA and exercise interventions in older adults. Further aims are to a) make a consensus on reasons, risks and mechanisms for pitfalls and problems in technology-assisted interventions, b) work on improvements in recruitment criteria and procedures, comparability of assessments (and thus comparability of study results, in order to raise evidence levels, see WG 1), and goal-setting and intervention design. For all these tasks, the priority is to find a topical focus or reduction of complexity (e.g. narrow goals or target groups) which allows for a simple and exemplary solution ready for implementation in algorithms and thus technology.
Tasks
- T3.1 Overview and classification of pitfalls and problems in technology-assisted PA interventions for older adults from a proper research methodological point of view, forming a work plan for the WG
- T3.2 Strategy for improving comparability and standardisation of assessment of motor-cognitive and functional capabilities.
- T3.3 Strategy for improving recruitment and sampling of old age target groups for achieving meaning- ful and generalizable results.
- T3.4 Compiling concepts for goal-setting and corresponding principles for intervention design.
Deliverables
- D3.1 Guidelines on requirements and strategical improvement of recruitment and sampling for different target groups, using a formal consensus procedure.
- D3.2 Guidelines and framework for designing technology-assisted PA interventions including appropriate assessment standards (RCO 8).