Table 2.
General characteristics and key findings of the included studies.
| Author and year | Study design | Country | Population of study (N) | Device or technology used | Intervention | Key finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meinert et al. (2020) [20] | Case study | United Kingdom, France, and Sweden | Older users and their family members (N = 6000 user) | Digital health mobile app | Design, develop, and deploy a digital health mobile app to provide a means of assisting families and peer groups in maintaining contact with older people | Solution with the capacity of connecting vast geographies of individuals Creates a capability for virtual interconnectedness Tackle a new and urgent issue arising to combat the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic Connect the older adults with their family and friends during social distancing To encourage positive nutrition, enhance physical activity, and promote mental |
| Jaana and Paré (2020) [21] | Cross-sectional survey | Canada | Canadian residents/65 years and older (N = 4109) | Not Applicable | To compare older adults' use of m-health technologies to that of the general adult population in Canada and to investigate the factors that affect their use | Considerable number of older adults reported using internet and smart technology Support the m-health technologies of older people health and well-being needs in the community Used mobile apps by users to store and monitor health-related data The potential of m-health technologies for self-tracking purposes in the context of older adults Necessary to culture shift in the provision of care to older adults is deemed keep up with the development of m-health technologies and the changing demographics and expectations of patients and their caregivers |
| Cenzer et al. (2020) [22] | Cross-sectional survey | United States | older veterans (N = 118) | Not Applicable | To examine the capability and willingness of older veterans to participate in a VA Video Connect (VVC) visit during the COVID-19 pandemic | The 77% successful in the scheduled VVC visits There are some lingering issues with capability and willingness to participate in video telehealth visits, particularly among older adults residing in rural areas Education have a stronger influence on internet access - Factor affected the use VA Video Connect (VVC) by older: Availability of internet access (77%) Availability of email access (70%) Availability of a device with a camera (56%) Capable of participating in VVC appointments (56%) Willingness to participate in VVC appointments (58%) Capable and willing to participate in VVC appointments (53%) - Suggestions for more access to VVC appointments: Necessity of policy efforts to bring broadband internet access to rural residents Addressing the digital divide in rural area Needed of targeted educational efforts to train those residing in rural areas Need to distribution of video-capable devices be augmented by the provision of high-speed internet and age-friendly technical assistance |
| van Dyck et al. (2020) [23] | Observational study | United States | Nursing home residents (N = 30) | Telephone Outreach in the COVID-19 Outbreak (TOCO) Program | To address social isolation in nursing home residents, the Student Interest Group initiated a Telephone Outreach in the COVID-19 Outbreak (TOCO) Program that implements weekly phone calls with student volunteers. | Positive effect of TOCO Program among seniors Benefited the seniors from meaningful conversations with their volunteer companions The nursing home residents shared stories of their lives and their families with student volunteers Identify the unique and actionable needs of the senior companions by volunteers Recognized common challenges experienced by many of these older adults (e.g. feelings of restlessness and anxiety as isolation continues, and fearfulness as COVID-19 enters nursing home facilities) Exacerbated challenges for the elderly's due to lack of access to technology (e.g. limited computer and internet access to communicate with loved ones) Alleviate social isolation experienced by nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Wang et al. (2020) [24] | Qualitative study | China | Elderly people (N = 8) | Not Applicable | How has the COVID-19 pandemic high-lighted the age-based mobile digital divide in China, and what are the implications for gerontological internet-based social work? | Replacing the mobile internet instead the PC to become the dominating online platform in China Need of younger (e.g. their granddaughter) to support older people to seek help through internet-based |
| Used the mobile internet to seek help, purchase masks, or show the Green Code for travelling by older people Need to simple apps for many older people Need to used mobile phone or tablet with a big screen for elderly Expensively of tablet with the call function for bought by elderly Internet-based ICT used by social workers should be better designed and accessible to older people in terms of visibility, price, and operation Urgent need to make more efforts to provide internet-based social work services Need to be better trained for social workers to deliver services tailored to the specific needs of elderly population' Assess the capabilities of each elderly client by social workers to use different forms of internet based methods before they provide services to that client | ||||||
| Van Dijk et al. (2020) [25] | Case study | Netherlands | Elderly patient aged between64 and 70 years (n = 4) | Online psychotherapy day-treatment program | To present first impressions on feasibility of transforming a psychotherapy day-treatment program for older persons into an online program | Comfort in setting up the individual treatment plan by video conferencing Increasing the motivation of therapists for positive change Existence of time for therapists to prepare the psychotherapy sessions Online and therapy of older ran smoothly Providing active movements (gymnastics),relaxation, and mindful exercises (e.g., Tai Chi) to the older patients |
| Office et al. (2020) [26] | Observational study | United States | Older adults at risk for increased social isolation during COVID-19 (N=-) | Phone call outreach program (Seniors Overcoming Social Isolation (SOS)) | Created a phone call outreach program in which medical and health professions student volunteers called older adults, living in long-term-care facilities (LTCFs) and the community, at risk of social isolation during COVID-19 | Creating happy and enjoyment among older patients to have someone to talk Interrupting social isolation of older adults and residents of independent Improving the lives of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic Understanding the needs of older adults in the community |
| Humboldt et al. (2020) [27] | Qualitative study | Italian, Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish | Older participants aged 65–87 years (N = 351) | Not Applicable | To fill a knowledge gap about older adult perceptions of how smart technology influenced their meaning in life during the Covid-19 | Used of smart technology to connect with family, colleagues and friends and create meaningful relations Important instrument for carrying out older individual activities Helped to develop a sense of spirituality Health and safety-related support of older Allowed to self-growth and reflection about how to achieve self-growth during the Covid-19 To continue physical activity |
| Echeverría et al. (2020) [28] | Observational study | Spain | Older residents and individuals with physical and mental disabilities in long-term care facilities (N=-) | COVIDApp mobile tool | To report the implementation of COVIDApp innovative tool for the management of long-term care facility residents as a high-risk population, specifically for early identification and self-isolation of suspected cases, remote monitoring of mild cases, and real-time monitoring of the progression of the infection. | Helped to institutional staff from long-term care facilities and primary care clinicians address the COVID-19 pandemic Providing a new channel for real-time communication Early detection of suspected COVID-19 cases Rapid development of epidemiological actions (e.g. self-isolation of suspected cases and contacts and relocation after positive or negative results) Remote management of mild COVID-19 cases treated in institutions Knowledge of progression of the infection in long-term care facilities Advise and support older people in nursing homes through a website that enables direct contact between a senior geriatrician and centers for older people Monitor the progression of the infection Decrease in the number of deaths and confirmed cases of COVID-19 Enabled to intervene proactively by isolating residents with suspected infection early and by monitoring contacts Reduce transmission in a vulnerable population |
| McLellan et al. (2020) [29] | Observational study | United Kingdom | Elderly patient (N=-) | Smartphone-based application and web-portal (smartPDT®) | Determine the accuracy of the algorithms used in the commercial SmartPDT® application | Provide treatment for the common pre-malignant condition of chronic photo damaged skin actinic keratosis Creating a more convenient and reliable therapy Reducing risk in an elderly patient population during the Covid-19 pandemic |