Table 3.
Study characteristics (for each intervention, the digital elements are boldened, and the physical elements are italicized to distinguish them from the social elements; OA: Older adults)
| Authors, year | Country | Study Design | Intervention | Participants | Involvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frei et al., 2019 [29] | Switzerland | Action research, implement the intervention and evaluate its effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, and sustainability | A community walking programme based on the existing walking routes and organised with WhatsApp | 29 OA, local key persons from the local policy and service organisations for OA | Focus group with 4 OA; interviews with eight other key stakeholders; group walking of 13 OA; 6-month follow-up, 11-month follow-up |
| Gooch et al., 2021 [30] | United Kingdom | Action research, explore and evaluate the intervention concept | Using community displays to communicate and promote physical activity in a neighbourhood | 25 OA and community workers in four design workshops (each workshop has 5–7 people) | Four workshops with five pre-defined storyboard scenarios |
| den Haan et al., 2021 [31] | The Netherlands | Action research, explore and evaluate intervention | A physical community learning approach to support OA in using and adopting the smartphone application GoLivePhone | 7 OA | Living lab approach; a series of focus groups |
| Keirnan et al., 2019 [32] | Australia | Action research, explore the intervention concept | A system for managing the use of public space for social activities in a retirement village | 7 OA | Co-design workshops using LEGO serious play methods |
| Kosurko et al., 2021 [33] | Canada | Ethnographic research, understand the intervention in real life | A dancing programme in the neighbourhoods that allows online and offline participation | 289 participants (OA, people living with dementia, family carers, admins and staff, volunteers) | Observation, interviews, focus groups, research team reflections |
| Lazar et al., 2021 [34] | United States | Ethnographic research, understand the intervention in real life | The creation of a makerspace: a public place in the community where people get together to make things (with technology) | 17 OA | OA involved in deciding what machines to buy after a space was found for this intervention |
| Lenstra, 2017 [35] | United States | Ethnographic research, understand the intervention in real life | Technology support services in public libraries and senior centres that are adapted and reconfigured by OA | 209 OA (observation), 54 OA (interviews), and 7 staff (interviews) | OA organised themselves, and no researcher involved in developing the intervention |
| Mao et al., 2020 [36] | United Kingdom | Ethnographic research, understand the intervention in real life | A community for sharing, learning and managing music using digital technology where people can also meet face-to-face in a public space | 11 OA (diary-aided interviews) | OA organised themselves, no researcher involved in developing the intervention |
| O’Brien et al., 2021 [37] | Ireland | Action research, explore, implement and evaluate the intervention | Community-led walking programme in the neighbourhood utilising activity trackers | 11 OA | Co-design; individual phone interviews following their involvement in the 6-week program, summative evaluation |
| Pedell et al., 2021 [38] | Australia | Action research, explore intervention concepts | 1) wearables for OA to be physically active in the neighbourhoods, 2) a social prescribing system in the neighbourhoods | 1) 8 OA 2) 3 OA together with other generations | Interviews and workshops |
| Reuter et al., 2019 [39] | United Kingdom, Australia | Action research, explore, evaluate and implement the intervention | Digital tools developed to help an OA community station run a radio show | 8 OA | Observation, interviews, co-design, formative evaluation |
| Reuter et al., 2020 [40] | United Kingdom | Ethnographic research, understand the intervention in real life | A community radio station where people meet face-to-face, and some use technology to digitalise the content | 9 OA and 3 radio station managers | Researchers hosted a radio festival during which interviews and observations were conducted |
| Yang et al., 2020 [41] | United States | Action research, explore and evaluate the intervention concept | A digital group game (Team Bingo) encouraging physical movements in a senior centre | 9 OA and 2 staff (interviews); 7 OA and 1 staff (evaluation) | Observation, interviews, formative evaluation |