Cheng Kian Tan

The world is aging faster than ever before; the number of people aged over 65 years is projected to double from 2019 to 2050, hitting a record 1.5 billion. Aging is a multifaceted process, encompassing biological, social, and psychological factors, amongst others. An interdisciplinary approach that harnesses the power of social and technological innovations is needed to achieve holistic care for older persons. This chapter will highlight how the multidisciplinary teams in older adult care will include not only multidisciplinary medical teams but also social workers, community-based resources, and innovative technologies to cocreate person-centered innovations that empower older persons to live with dignity and independence.

BACKGROUND The study investigated a cost effective innovation using exercise ball combined with music and movement to create positive outcome for elderly in Singapore. OBJECTIVE The aim is to examine the effects of exercise ball drumming on the quality of life, mental well-being, and social well-being of elderly individuals. METHODS An online survey was used to obtain a baseline assessment (T0) of participants’ quality of life, mental well-being, social engagement, and loneliness before the start and end of the programme (T1). They participated in the exercise ball drumming programme for an hour per week, over four weeks. Selected participants took part in a qualitative interview at T1. A total of 30 participants between aged between 55 and 95 were recruited. RESULTS Significant improvements in the Older People Quality of Life Scale (p < .001), Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (p < .001), Lubben Social Network Scale (p < .001), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale (p < .001 were observed. The qualitative analysis of the revealed that regular exercise ball drumming significantly contributed to the physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being of the participants. The social aspects of the exercises also enhanced motivation and provided a strong sense of community, while individual preferences and physical limitations influenced the choice and frequency of activities. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the numerous benefits of regular, socially engaging exercise programmes such as exercise ball drumming. Combining such group exercise and music in a community setting was found to improve the quality of life, mental well-being, and social well-being of elderly participants in Singapore. CLINICALTRIAL Singapore University of Social Sciences (APL-0243-2023-EXP-02). INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-DOI: 10.1016/j.aggp.2024.100111

Background: Social robots integrated with serious games hold promise as innovative nonpharmacological strategies in dementia care. However, limited studies have adopted quantitative, platform-level comparisons from the perspective of formal caregivers, who are key stakeholders in technology implementation in dementia care settings. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, usability, and overall user experience of a serious game–based interaction model delivered via a screen-equipped social robot, compared to a tablet-based version of the same model, from the perspective of formal dementia caregivers. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted with 120 formal dementia caregivers. Each caregiver individually interacted with both a screen-equipped social robot and a touchscreen tablet, delivering identical serious game content incorporating cognitive exercises, music therapy, and reminiscence. The robot featured multimodal interaction capabilities, including voice, gestures, movement, and facial expression display, while the tablet relied on standard touchscreen functions. Caregivers evaluated both platforms using the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ), System Usability Scale (SUS), and a customized Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Group comparisons were performed using t tests, with post hoc Benjamini-Hochberg correction applied to control for multiple comparisons. Results: Caregivers generally favored the social robot over the tablet. The robot received higher total UEQ scores (mean 1.29, SD 1.14, vs mean 0.99, SD 1.08; P=.004), particularly in enjoyment (P=.002), friendliness (P=.006), clarity (P=.002), organization (P=.02), interest (P=.01), and innovation (P=.002). In the SUS, caregivers rated the robot higher for quick learning (mean 2.71, SD 0.79 vs mean 2.44, SD 0.81; P=.002), while overall SUS scores were comparable. TAM results indicated higher total scores for the robot (mean 4.03, SD 0.47 vs mean 3.67, SD 0.58; P=.002), with stronger ratings in perceived usefulness (P=.002), ease of use (P=.002), attitudes (P=.002), and behavioral intentions (P=.002). All P values are from 2-tailed t tests and were adjusted using the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure. Conclusions: The social robot used in this study was perceived by formal dementia caregivers as providing a more favorable user experience and eliciting a stronger intention to use compared to a tablet-based platform. These findings support the feasibility of social robots as a platform for delivering technology-supported activities in dementia care and provide a foundation for future research on their implementation and outcomes in dementia care.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are nearly 20 million new cancer cases in 2022. In a rapidly ageing world, coupled with improved lifespan, the total number of cancer diagnoses is likely to increase. Cancer patients face significant stress and fatigue from managing the condition and treatment. In mitigating these challenges, the care sector is embarking on use of non-pharmacolgical therapeutic interventions. Virtual Reality technology and music are feasible tools for improving mental wellbeing, relaxation and pain reduction. The systematic review was conducted across five databases between June 2024 and July 2024. Twelve shortlisted studies were examined, which used nature-based, interactive and non-interactive, and meditative VR interventions, VR interventions combined with physiotherapy, background music, or drugs; and standalone music interventions. The studies were conducted in various cancer populations, including advanced cancer patients, end-stage cancer patients in hospice care, breast cancer patients with chronic pain, cancer survivors with chronic cancer-related pain, and metastatic breast cancer patients. Most studies used a range of pre- and post-intervention measurements of anxiety, depression, pain, and other symptoms, and some included control groups or control conditions. The review provides a comprehensive synthesis of research on VR and music as psychosocial interventions for adult cancer patients. mixed results for the effects of these interventions on anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue, sleep, and other psychophysical outcomes. Overall, VR and music may be the basis of promising interventions for cancer patients, but further research is needed.

This chapter explores the adaptation of technology acceptance model (TAM) to senior technology acceptance model (STAM). The extension provides more focus on the perception and acceptance of technology by older persons for researchers to have a better understanding of the multidimensional facets of ageing needs. In the studies conducted in Hong Kong and Singapore, we have used the assessment of two different social robots. For the Hong Kong study, Humanoid social robot, Kabochan, was deployed as an intervention in seven nursing homes to understand the acceptance by residents living with dementia, on the other hand, in a separate joint study between Hong Kong and Singapore, a Japanese affectionate robot, LOVOT, was chosen. Both studies used STAM and a number of social well-being measures to assess the benefits of social robots in the health and care of older persons. STAM has demonstrated its usefulness and relevance in building evidence and correlations to elucidate the varied research objectives. Moving forward, as gerontechnology is populated with advancement in wearables, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics, STAM is likely have a stronger place in the research and evaluation scene. The collection of evidence is to appreciate the complexity of factors in the adoption of gerontechnology.

BACKGROUND Care work is emerging as a crucial component of older adults’ daily lives, and in high income countries it is being increasingly undertaken by foreign/migrant workers. OBJECTIVE Understanding the carer–cared for relationship, including the influences of the mode, degree, and social environment, could provide insights into the cultivation and strengthening of the physical and spiritual wellbeing of older adults. METHODS This systematic review of the research on live-in migrant care workers explored the recommended practices for care work in a globalised market. Nine of 2,903 articles extracted from five databases met the inclusion criteria and were scanned and analysed using data charting and thematic analysis. RESULTS The findings showed that foreign care workers contribute to the realisation of person-centred home care and reduce older adults’ loneliness. The care recipients and their families establish reciprocal care and support practices with the foreign care workers and complement each other’s role and responsibilities in a relationship that is blurrily situated between monetary employment and emotional companionship. CONCLUSIONS This study finds that hiring live-in foreign care workers reorganises the social dynamics of the caregiving family and the quality of care is affected by the participants’ adaptation and negotiation. We suggest that future studies should consider adopting a qualitative approach using random sampling to explore the role of family caregivers and the mechanisms that drive mutuality in care, despite the challenge of finding suitable study participants. CLINICALTRIAL NA

Background: The challenge of preventing in-patient falls remains one of the most critical concerns in health care. Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of an integrated Internet of Things (IoT) smart patient care system on fall prevention. Methods: A quasi-experimental study design is used. The smart patient care system is an integrated IoT system combining a motion-sensing mattress for bed-exit detection, specifying different types of patient calls, integrating a health care staff scheduling system, and allowing health care staff to receive and respond to alarms via mobile devices. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between the use of the IoT system and bedside falls compared with a traditional patient care system. Results: In total, 1300 patients were recruited from a medical center in Taiwan. The IoT patient care system detected an average of 13.5 potential falls per day without any false alarms, whereas the traditional system issued about 11 bed-exit alarms daily, with approximately 4 being false, effectively identifying 7 potential falls. The bedside fall incidence during hospitalization was 1.2% (n=8) in the traditional patient care system ward and 0.1% (n=1) in the smart ward. We found that the likelihood of bedside falls in wards with the IoT system was reduced by 88% (odds ratio 0.12, 95% CI 0.01-0.97; P=.047). Conclusions: The integrated IoT smart patient care system might prevent falls by assisting health care staff with efficient and resilient responses to bed-exit detection. Future product development and research are recommended to introduce IoT into patient care systems combining bed-exit alerts to prevent inpatient falls and address challenges in patient safety.

Background: This study examined the social well-being of single older adults through the companionship of a social robot, LOVOT (Love+Robot; Groove X). It is designed as a companion for older adults, providing love and affection through verbal and physical interaction. We investigated older adults’ perceptions of the technology and how they benefitted from interacting with LOVOT, to guide the future development of social robots. Objective: This study aimed to use a phenomenological research design to understand the participants’ experiences of companionship provided by the social robot. Our research focused on (1) examining the social well-being of single older adults through the companionship of social robots and (2) understanding the perceptions of single older adults when interacting with social robots. Given the prevalence of technology use to support aging, understanding single older adults’ social well-being and their perceptions of social robots is essential to guide future research on and design of social robots. Methods: A total of 5 single women, aged 60 to 75 years, participated in the study. The participants interacted independently with the robot for a week in their own homes and then participated in a poststudy interview to share their experiences. Results: In total, 4 main themes emerged from the participants’ interactions with LOVOT, such as caring for a social robot, comforting presence of the social robot, meaningful connections with the social robot, and preference for LOVOT over pets. Conclusions: The results indicate that single older adults can obtain psychosocial support by interacting with LOVOT. LOVOT is easily accepted as a companion and makes single older adults feel like they have a greater sense of purpose and someone to connect with. This study suggests that social robots can provide companionship to older adults who live alone. Social robots can help alleviate loneliness by allowing single older adults to form social connections with robots as companions. These findings are particularly important given the rapid aging of the population and the increasing number of single-person households in Singapore.