AGE-ON 2.0: Expanding and Evaluating a Tablet Training Program for Older Adults

Adults over 65 years are the fastest growing segment of Canada's population. Social isolation (defined as living alone with infrequent social contact and/or few social network ties) and loneliness (a dissatisfaction with the discrepancy between desired and actual social connections) are of growing concern, as individuals are living longer and often living alone or far from family and close friends. Both loneliness and social isolation are related to poor quality of life and overall well being. The internet and communication technology may be important tools to help older adults connect with family and friends, thus maintaining or even enhancing social connections. They help users overcome physical and spatial barriers to connect with others. However many older adults have obstacles to internet and technology use such as lack of knowledge and efficacy, and concerns over privacy.

AGE-ON is a series of volunteer-run workshops developed in 2014 by the Regional Geriatric Program in Hamilton. The goal of these workshops is to teach older adults with limited computer knowledge how to use tablet computers to connect with friends and family and gather information related to issues of importance to them. Over six weeks, participants learn 1) basic features of the iPad; 2) how to use the internet; 3) how to take and view photos; 4) how to send and receive emails; and 5) other 'fun' functions. An initial pilot project conducted in 2014-2015 displayed an overwhelmingly positive response to the AGE-ON workshops by both participants and volunteers, generating local media attention and resulting in a large number of interested older adults being placed on a wait-list for future workshops. This response proved the interest and need for a program of this type in the community. Preliminary feedback was gathered from participants; the investigators would now like to use this feedback to improve and expand upon the existing curriculum, and conduct a formal evaluation of the workshops.

Through this randomized controlled trial the study team will conduct a formal evaluation of the AGE-ON workshops. Tablet and internet use and self-efficacy, barriers to technology use, social isolation, loneliness and quality of life will be assessed before and after the workshops. Qualitative feedback from participants will be collected after each workshop, and in-person and telephone interviews will be conducted with participants at the end of the workshops.

Based on preliminary findings from AGE-ON Level 1 pilot project, we expect that participants in the AGE-ON program will improve self-efficacy in using their tablet for variety of tasks, specifically communicating with family and friends, and accessing health information. We anticipate this will result in a reduction in social isolation and loneliness, and improvement in quality of life. We also expect that this benefit will extend beyond the individual participant themselves, to family members and friends of workshop participants. At the community-level, this project will establish partnerships between researchers at McMaster University (Portal team), clinicians (Regional Geriatric Program, central) and organizations that work with older adults in the community (YWCA, assisted living facilities).