A Video-based Intervention to Increase Aging Services Technologies Awareness

Joyce Tam

Despite demonstrated efficacy of assistive tools, aging services technologies (ASTs) have not been widely utilized by older adults due to poor awareness. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a video-based intervention on factors contributing to barriers to AST use (e.g., AST-related knowledge, attitude, stigma, and self-efficacy) as well as intention to engage in and engagement in AST-related outcome activities. Two-hundred and thirty-one older adults (i.e., age 50+) participated in the intervention. Seventy-five participants completed an optional phone follow-up. All participants were asked to complete questionnaires before and after they viewed AST videos with a subset of questions repeated at follow-up. Questions regarding demographics, functional status, baseline AST use, self-ratings of overall barrier to AST use, AST-related knowledge, attitude, and stigma as well as self-efficacy were included in the questionnaire. In addition, participants were asked to complete an objective measure of AST knowledge. Program evaluations were conducted post-intervention and at follow-up. Results showed that participants endorsed significantly lower levels of overall barrier to AST use and perceived stigma as well as a higher level of AST knowledge and more positive attitude post-intervention. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that a greater reduction in stigma and AST use across more physical and/or cognitive domains at baseline were significant predictors of a greater increase in intention to use ASTs post-intervention. In addition, individuals living in their own homes, with a lower level of education, fewer physical and/or cognitive domains supported by ASTs at baseline, and higher levels of physical limitation were more likely to experience a significant reduction in perceived stigma post-intervention. Exploratory analyses showed that AST non-users were younger with fewer functional limitations. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed that AST non-users also endorsed greater reduction of perceived overall barrier to AST use and improvement in perceived AST knowledge than users. Follow-up data showed that the intervention effects were maintained. In addition, the majority of participants indicated that the program was helpful and informative. Taken together, the current findings provided support for the efficacy of the intervention program.

A Video-based Intervention to Increase Aging Services Technologies Awareness

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