The Impact of a Telehealth Intervention on Activity Profiles in Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health concern for older adults. Telehealth presents a safe platform for conducting health-related interventions that may have additional benefits such as widespread reach. Our pilot study sought to examine how a telehealth intervention changed activity profiles in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: There were n = 13 adults aged 70.6 ± 4.5 years that participated in a 6 week telehealth intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic. The didactic intervention contents were shared online, and participants worked with trained interviewers over the telephone to discuss physical activity. At baseline and post-intervention, the Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adults examined activity profiles, while accelerometry estimated time spent sedentary and in physical activity. Results: Relative to the baseline measures, there was an 88 min/day (95% confidence interval (CI): 39, 137) increase in computer time and 36 min/day (CI: 10, 62) reduction in time spent in active transport at post-intervention. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity participation also increased by an estimated 2 min/day (CI: −21, 26) and 12 min/week (CI: −154, 180), but this trend was not statistically significant. Conclusion: We recommend that support be provided to older adults transitioning to telehealth, especially as migration to telehealth progresses.

Feasibility of an online, mental health‐informed lifestyle program for people aged 60+ years during the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…12 Physical activity has been recommended as an important strategy for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic to help protect against the negative physical and mental consequences, 13,14 however, interventional research during the pandemic is limited. 15 Lifestyle interventions, including promotion of physical activity and healthy diet, are evidence-based preventive and therapeutic strategies that target a number of chronic diseases and also help to counteract many of the hallmarks of ageing. [16][17][18] In addition, regular physical activity and a healthy diet can prevent falls, 19,20 prevent cognitive decline, 21,22 reduce depression 23,24 and prevent sarcopenia.…”

Counseling for Physical Activity in Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scope Review

“…The sample size ranged from 7 [ 31 ] to 137 participants [ 32 ]. In addition to representing a majority in all samples, three articles were conducted specifically with female samples [ 14 , 33 , 34 ]. Heterogeneity was identified in relation to the sample characteristics, highlighting four samples composed of participants with insufficient levels of physical activity at the baseline [ 14 , 16 , 22 , 35 ], two samples with cancer survivors [ 32 , 34 ], and two with type II diabetes patients [ 36 , 37 ].…”

“…Heterogeneity was identified in relation to the sample characteristics, highlighting four samples composed of participants with insufficient levels of physical activity at the baseline [ 14 , 16 , 22 , 35 ], two samples with cancer survivors [ 32 , 34 ], and two with type II diabetes patients [ 36 , 37 ]. Regarding the objectives of the studies, six articles directed interventions to physical activity [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 38 ], two studies were focused on behavioral change [ 36 , 37 ], two studies investigated a whole lifestyle [ 16 , 22 ], and one study directed actions towards physical activity and behavioral change [ 14 ]. Regarding the research design, the selected studies were classified as randomized controlled trials (n = 4), intervention studies (n = 4), non-randomized controlled trials (n = 1), longitudinal (n = 1), and quasi-experimental (n = 1).…”

“…Table 2 shows that the means used to carry out intervention were online platforms (n = 10; 90.9%) [ 14 , 16 , 22 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 37 , 38 ], including Facebook, YouTube, Google Classroom, Email, Zoom, WebEx; online applications [ 31 , 37 ]; telephone contact (n = 3; 27.3%) [ 32 , 33 , 36 ]; and face-to-face care (n = 2; 18.2%) [ 16 , 36 ]. Some studies reported more than one form of intervention, such as telephone contact and online platforms [ 32 , 33 ], telephone contact and face-to-face care [ 36 ], online platform and face-to-face care [ 16 ], and online platforms and online application [ 37 ]. High heterogeneity was observed in relation to the intervention time, ranging from 4 weeks (one month) [ 34 ] to 24 weeks (six months) [ 38 ].…”

“…Interventions were delivered by coaches (n = 3; 27.3%) [ 14 , 16 , 36 ]; physicians (n = 2; 18.2%) [ 32 , 38 ]; researchers or project managers (n = 2; 18.2%) [ 37 ]; nutritionists (n = 2; 18.2%) [ 16 , 22 ]; exercise physiologists (n = 1; 9.1%) [ 22 ]; nurses (n = 1; 9.1%) [ 32 ]; physical therapists (n = 1; 9.1%) [ 32 ]; professional caregivers (n = 1; 9.1%) [ 31 ]; a master’s student in public health (n = 1; 9.1%) [ 36 ]; and trained interviewers (n = 1; 9.1%) [ 33 ] ( Table 1 ). Among professionals who performed the intervention, health professionals stood out (i.e., professionals working in the field of health sciences) [ 39 ] (n = 5; 45.4%) [ 22 , 31 , 32 , 38 ].…”