TTA Archives 2005-2012

If you can do it with zoo animals, you can do it with older people.…seems to be part of the rationale for this brief study by researchers at the Dartmouth (University) Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Eight participants aged 65+ wore a small mobile sensing device from morning through evening for 10 days that measured time spent walking level, up or down an elevation, time spent stationary (sitting or standing), and time spent speaking with 1 or more other people. It confirms the potential for these (unfortunately unnamed) devices in monitoring overall wellness and socialization; notably the pre-study questionnaires were cited as more of a problem for the subjects than the devices. Full study available here in the Annals of Family Medicine (July/August 2011) Blog post in Health IT Exchange/Health IT Pulse.