The principal findings are that older adults are motivated to perform technology-supported home-based exercises if they help them maintain self-reliance and there is sufficient guidance, safety is taken into account, and adherence is stimulated. To meet those conditions, a blended intervention was developed that was based on functional exercises, behavior change theory and human guidance. A custom-made tablet application appears to be usable by the target audience. A process evaluation has shown that the tablet as well as the coach support older adults in the various phases of self-regulating their exercise behavior. The blended intervention stimulates intrinsic motivation by supporting the autonomy of participants, fostering competence and, for some, meeting the need for relatedness by offering emotional support. Data derived from the tablet demonstrate that older adults participating in the intervention exhibit exercise behavior that is in line with WHO guidelines and that engagement with the tablet was a contributing factor. Future work should include assessment of intervention fidelity and explore which aspects of coaching can and cannot be further automated.
Mehra, S. (2021). Development and evaluation of a blended home-based exercise
intervention for older adults