Usefulness of navigation application for outdoor mobility guides in community-dwelling older adults: a preliminary study

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to examine a mobile device navigation application’s (apps) usefulness as a guide based on the required time and accuracy of moving to a destination for community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

Twelve older adults, aged ≥65 years (mean age 77.0 ± 8.0, 62% female) who used the day-care centre for older adults, based on the long-term care insurance system in Kagoshima Prefecture, participated in this study. Study participants performed a Route Navigation Task (RNT), which is a simple real-world navigation test based on the actual living environment, after a brief assessment of physical function, cognitive function, and daily living routine. RNT required that participants arrive at a destination for the shortest time, under three tasks: map-, app-, and photo-language. The order of implementation of each task, determined by one of the tasks, was randomized, with a span of a minimum 1 month between tasks.

Results

The app-task resulted in a significantly shorter amount of travel time than did the other tasks (p < 0.05). The factors considerably correlating with travel time in the app-task were walking speed, mobile device proficiency, years of mobile device use, and higher-order activities of daily living.

Conclusion

Our findings suggested the possibility that the navigation app was useful as efficient outdoor mobility support, and healthcare providers should encourage the use of mobile devices for improving the active lifestyle of the community-dwelling older adults.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• The navigation apps in mobile devices are expected to be useful for community-dwelling older adults.

• We examined the effect of navigation app use on path execution using three tasks in RNT and what factors are associated with the ability of route navigation.

• A significant reduction in travel time when RNT was performed using a navigation app compared to the other two tasks (map, photo-language).

• Regardless of cognitive function, mobile device proficiency, and mobile device usage were associated with navigation app use.

• This study suggests the usefulness of a navigation application in providing route assistance to community-dwelling older adults.

Keywords:

• Route navigation
• mobile device
• community-dwelling older adults
• navigation apps

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge participants in Kagoshima Prefecture and the staff of the day-service center in older adults for their cooperation in this study. We would also like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest directly relevant to the content of this article.