R3 Telewellness Technologies

Principal Investigator

Tracy Mitzner, Ph.D.

Team

Elena Remillard, M.S., Kara Mumma, B.S/B.A., Laura Rice, Ph.D., MPT, ATP, Jenay Beer, Ph.D.

Students

Lelah Cochran

Partners

Tai Chi for Health Institute

Overview

Group exercise classes, such as yoga and Tai Chi, have the potential to provide both physical and social health benefits. However, substantial barriers exist for adults aging with lower-body mobility disabilities to engage in group exercise classes, including lack of transportation to classes, inaccessible buildings where classes are held, and lack of appropriate modifications. Tele-technology, such as video-conferencing software with audio and video exchange, provides the opportunity for people to deliver and attend group exercise classes remotely, with great potential to support people aging with mobility disabilities (Beer, Mitzner, Stuck, & Rogers, 2015). 

Building on our earlier TechSAge research on the acceptance and usability of such “Telewellness” technologies, we are using video-based conferencing to translate an in-person, evidence-based Tai Chi class to an online, social experience. The Tele Tai Chi intervention study will explore whether or not the Tele Tai Chi program can increase social interaction and positive health behaviors (i.e., physical exercise frequency) among older adults with long-term mobility disabilities. 

Two asian older adults doing a seated exercise class at home on the computer  older woman in a wheelchair doing fitness exercises with weights on her computer

Project Status

  • Data collection for the Tele Tai Chi study is complete. We want to thank our participants for their involvement. Data analysis is currently underway. Stay tuned for our research findings!
  • Hear from participants in the Tele Tai Chi study about their experience in the class.

Screenshot of Tele Tai Chi study poster

 

Select Publications

Mitzner, T.L., Remillard, E.T.; Mumma, K.T. (2022). Research-Driven Guidelines for Delivering Group Exercise Programs via Videoconferencing to Older Adults. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19, 7562. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137562 

Beer, J. M., Mackin, T., Mois, G., Koon, L., Datta, A., Rogers, W. A., & Mitzner, T. L. (2021). User attitudes and implementation requirements of a tele-exercise intervention for people aging with lower body mobility impairment, Gerontechnology, 20(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2021.20.2.6.429.09  

Wu, X., Mitzner, T. L., Thomas, R. C., Drobina, E.C., Rogers, W. A., & Beer, J. M. (2021). Tele-technology evaluation and user testing with persons aging with long-term mobility disabilities. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. SAGE Publications. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. 65(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1071181321651167  

Mitzner, T. L. & Remillard, E.T. (2019). How one telewellness project focused on helping older adults with mobility disabilities age in place. The Journal on Active Aging, 18(4), 72-77. https://techsage.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/2020-12/Telewellness-low%20res.pdf

Mitzner, T. L., Stuck R., Hartley, J. Q., Beer, J. M., & Rogers, W. A. (2017). Acceptance of televideo technology by adults aging with a mobility impairment for health and wellness interventions. Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering, 4, 1-12. 10.1177/2055668317692755

Beer, J. M., Mitzner, T. L., Stuck, R. E., & Rogers, W. A. (2015). Design considerations for technology interventions to support social and physical wellness for older adults with disability. International Journal of Automation and Smart Technology (AUSMT), 5(4), 249-264. 10.4017/gt.2015.14.1.004.00

Wu, X., Thomas, R. C., Drobina, E. C., Mitzner, T. L., & Beer, J. M. (2017). Telepresence heuristic evaluation for adults aging with mobility impairment.  Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 61(1), 16-20. 10.1177/1541931213601499

Stuck, R. E., Hartley, J. Q., Mitzner, T. L., Beer, J. M., & Rogers, W. A. (2017). Understanding attitudes of adults aging with mobility impairments toward telepresence robots. Proceedings of the 12th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction [Late Breaking Report], 293-294. 10.1145/3029798.3038351

Wu, X., Thomas, R., Drobina, E., Mitzner, T. L., & Beer, J. M.  (2017). An evaluation of a telepresence robot: User testing among older Americans with mobility impairment.  Proceedings of the 12th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction [Late Breaking Report], 325-326. 10.1145/3029798.303832

Project Alumni

Megan Bayles, B.S., Grace Cha, M.ID., Lawrence Chan, MS-HCI, Jordan Chen, M.S., Tanvi Dange, Saisamhitha Dasari, Lucile Dupuy, Ph.D., Christina Harrington, Ph.D., Jordan Hartley, B.S., Nida Javaid, B.S., Laura Matalenas, Ph.D., Sean McGlynn, Ph.D.,Alexis Pineda, B.S., Ritika Sadalge, B.S., Kaitlyn Shinault, B.S., Rachel Stuck, M.S., & Dann Rhee, B.S.

 

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