fit4AAL-Outcomes: Evaluation of an ICT-supported Fitness-App for older people: Usability and effectiveness

Regular and sufficient movement is beneficial for the health of persons of all age groups. Within the project “fit4AAL”, a new fitness technology will be developed together with elderly people from the regions Vienna and Salzburg and tested over various months.

This fitness technology, which is customised for older people, can be used on a tablet or a flat screen (TV or monitor) at home. The exercises are demonstrated in video clips with brief explanations and are meant to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and improve sense of balance. The fitness technology also give participants access to personalised feedback and coaching for the correct execution of the movements within their own homes. In addition to that, an activity tracker is supposed to encourage outdoor activities (e.g. having a walk, riding a bike) and improve cardiovascular fitness.

The WU Research Institute for Economics of Aging is responsible for the study design and the evaluation concept, and coordinates the work package “evaluation” of the project “fif4AAL”.

Formative and summative evaluation of the usability of the developed fitness technology will be carried out to obtain references for further development of the system. In addition to that, impact assessments will inform whether the system as mentioned above is beneficial to mobility, functional fitness and quality of life of older people.

Fonds Soziales Wien

Austrian Research Promotion Agency