Effectiveness of the non-face-to-face comprehensive elderly care application "smart silver care" for community-dwelling elderly: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Quality of life for the elderly has become an important issue, and services aimed at improving it have typically been provided face-to-face. However, coronavirus disease 2019 has limited the use of face-to-face services, and the need to convert such systems to online interfaces has emerged. Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a non-face-to-face comprehensive elderly care application called "Smart Silver Care." Methods: This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. Sixty community- dwelling elderly individuals were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. The participants participated in the "Smart Silver Care" intervention using a tablet and smartwatch based on the programs we provided. The participants performed five tasks, five days a week, consisting of physical, emotional, and cognitive programs. Participants could communicate with the researchers in real-time from their homes, and the researchers could remotely supervise their performance. Results: We found positive effects on the relevant scales testing fall risk (Activities-Specific Balance Confidence [ABC] Scale, p= 0.028; Timed Up and Go [TUG] test, p= 0.001). However, there was no time x group interaction between the experimental and control groups on the relevant scales for depression and quality of life (Short Form-Geriatric Depression Scale [SGDS]-K: p= 0.225; EuroQol five-dimension five-level [EQ-5D-5L], p= 0.172). While the SGDS-K and EQ-5D-5L did not show statistical significance, we found improvement trends in the experimental group. Conclusions: The findings of this study show that Smart Silver Care significantly improved the participants' TUG and ABC scores in community-dwelling elderly, and a qualitative evaluation confirmed that it could be conveniently used by the elderly. Thus, Smart Silver Care offers a feasible intervention to improve the quality of life of the elderly, including physical aspects.