Internet platform enabling older adult interaction with family and health system

描述（由申请人提供）：这个第一阶段试点项目是为了评估使用家庭健康网络的生命互联计划作为一种干预措施的可行性，以增加对网络技术的获取，并作为支持独立生活的工具。健康状况下降与限制社会参与之间的关系是非常积极的。当活动能力和精力水平下降时，个人有可能变得更加社会孤立，为孤独、无聊和无助感让路。当所爱的人住在远处时，社会隔离可能会加剧。健康状况不断下降的人接入互联网有望通过缓解健康状况不断下降和社会孤立的恶性循环来改善心理健康。家庭健康网络的生命互联计划结合了一个用户友好的平台，通过使用触摸屏技术减少了电脑和互联网使用的正常障碍。该平台设计的重点是简化核心应用程序的使用，包括让关键内容“永远打开”，使用三次或更少的“点击”来导航，增加字体大小，简化常见任务，以及集成多种形式的网络通信。Connected for Life计划还包括可选的数据捕获功能，使用户能够跟踪健康促进活动，并在必要时使他们的社交网络形成一个护理圈，以交换信息并共同工作，以支持用户独立生活。在第一阶段，我们将评估生活互联平台满足社区老年人沟通、信息寻求和健康促进需求的能力。我们将优先考虑并指导生命互联平台的进一步发展，以解决通信和技术使用中最常见的障碍。通过开发所需的支持服务和资源来优化老年人口对其的采用和使用，并收集和/或制定适当的措施来评估生命互联计划（即平台和支持服务和资源）对关键结果的影响，如互惠沟通的频率、社会关系的质量、心理健康和孤独感。总之，第一阶段的里程碑将定义生命互联计划的参数，该计划将导致老年人在家中独立使用一段时间的临床试验。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase I pilot is to assess the feasibility of using the Family Health Network's Connected for Life Program as an intervention to increase access to web-based technologies and as a tool to support independent living. The relationship between declining health and restricted social engagement is strongly positive. When mobility and energy levels wane, individuals are at risk for becoming more socially isolated, making way for loneliness, boredom, and feelings of helplessness. Social isolation can be exacerbated when loved ones live at a distance. Access to the internet for people whose health is declining holds promise for improving psychological well-being by mitigating this spiral of declining health and social isolation. Family Health Network's Connected for Life program incorporates a user-friendly platform which reduces normal barriers to computer and internet use through the use of touch screen technology. The focus of the design of the platform is to simplify the use of core applications by having key content "always on," using three "clicks" or less to navigate, increasing font size, simplifying common tasks, and integrating multiple forms of web-enabled communication. Connected for Life program also includes optional data capture features that enables users to track health promotion activities and if necessary, enable their social network to form a care circle to exchange information and work together to support the user to live independently. In Phase I, we will assess the capacity of the Connected for Life Platform to meet the communication, information-seeking and health promotion needs of community-dwelling older adults. We will prioritize and direct further development of the Connected for Life Platform to address the most frequently identified barriers to communication and technology use, develop the full Connected for Life Program by developing the support services and resources needed to optimize its adoption and use by an older adult population and assemble and/or develop the appropriate measures to assess the impact of the Connected for Life Program (i.e. the Platform and the support services and resources) on key outcomes such as frequency of reciprocal communication, quality of social relationships, psychological well-being, and loneliness. Together, Phase I milestones will define the parameters of the Connected for Life Program that will lead to a clinical trial for independent use by older adults for a period of time in their homes. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Successful aging means independence, a safe and secure environment, connectivity to family and health care and avoiding the daunting costs of institutional care. Practical applications using innovative technologies, such as provided in this proposal, will allow older adults to remain independent while staying connected to their care network.