The Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) team is composed of Div. 21 members and past officers, such as Wendy Rogers, Sara Czaja, Wally Boot, Joseph Sharit and Neil Charness. This project will be showcased at APA’s 2017 Annual Convention.
Population aging trends project that individuals over the age of 65 will represent 21 percent of the U.S. population by 2050, with 5 percent of the population being over the age of 85. Increasing frequency and severity of health problems, along with issues with mobility, financial difficulties and the loss of loved ones leave many older adults at risk for social isolation. Social isolation is associated with a wide range of negative outcomes including lower quality of life and life satisfaction, poorer mental and physical health and cognitive decline. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as e-mail and videoconferencing could potentially combat the perception of loneliness that often accompanies social isolation, though evidence of efficacy in older populations is mixed, possibly due to differences between studied populations, the types of technologies assessed as well as different outcome measures.
The CREATE team launched the PRISM (Personal Reminder Information and Social Management) system randomized controlled field trial in 2011 in three southern cities (Atlanta, Miami and Tallahassee). It aimed to assess whether a personal computer system that included Internet and email software might combat the detrimental effects associated with social isolation in older adult populations compared to a more low-tech, familiar printed medium (a binder containing similar printed resources). This field trial followed 300 participants (half randomly assigned to PRISM, half to BINDER condition) for 12 months, providing training and instructional support to individuals at increased risk for social isolation who had no prior experience with the Internet or email. The PRISM system was specifically designed for older adults with minimal technology experience with human factors principles in mind. In addition to email and Internet, PRISM provided easy access to local and national resources, classroom activities on important topics related to independence, and access to a variety of games. All participants were able to learn the PRISM system despite initially low computer proficiency and use was frequent over the 12 month study period.
Results demonstrated that compared to the BINDER group, the PRISM group reported significantly less loneliness, along with increased feelings of social support and well-being after six months, but these gains were not maintained at 12 months. PRISM participants did show increased computer self-efficacy, proficiency and comfort with computers after six and 12 months. A full report of the first PRISM trial’s results can be found in an issue of The Gerontologist.
These promising results have led the CREATE team to begin to investigate the potential benefits of PRISM in more diverse older adult populations.