User Requirements Analysis of an Embodied Conversational Agent for Coaching Older Adults to Choose Active and Healthy Ageing Behaviors during the Transition to Retirement: A Cross-National User Centered Design Study.

BACKGROUND: Retirement is recognized as a factor influencing the ageing process. Today, virtual health coaching systems can play a pivotal role in supporting older adults' active and healthy ageing. This study wants to answer two research questions: (1) What are the user requirements of a virtual coach (VC) based on an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) for motivating older adults in transition to retirement to adopt a healthy lifestyle? (2) How could a VC address the active and healthy ageing dimensions, even during COVID-19 times? METHODS: Two-wave focus-groups with 60 end-users aged 55 and over and 27 follow-up telephone interviews were carried out in Austria, Italy and the Netherlands in 2019-2020. Qualitative data were analysed by way of framework analysis. RESULTS: End-users suggest the VC should motivate older workers and retirees to practice physical activity, maintain social contacts and emotional well-being. The ECA should be reactive, customizable, expressive, sympathetic, not directive nor patronizing, with a pleasant and motivating language. The COVID-19 outbreak increased the users' need for functions boosting community relationships and promoting emotional well-being. CONCLUSIONS: the VC can address the active and healthy ageing paradigm by increasing the chances of doing low-cost healthy activities at any time and in any place.

Loneliness and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study Among Dutch Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: With the spread of COVID-19, the Netherlands implemented a policy to keep citizens physically distanced. We hypothesize that consequent reduction in the frequency of social contacts, personal losses, and the experience of general threats in society reduced well-being. METHODS: Data were collected from 1,679 Dutch community-dwelling participants aged 65-102 years comprising a longitudinal online panel. Social and emotional loneliness and mental health were measured in May 2020, that is, 2 months after the implementation of the measures, and earlier in October and November 2019. RESULTS: In this pandemic, the loneliness of older people increased, but mental health remained roughly stable. The policy measures for physical distancing did not cause much social isolation but personal losses, worries about the pandemic, and a decline in trust in societal institutions were associated with increased mental health problems and especially emotional loneliness. DISCUSSION: The consequences of long-term social isolation and well-being must be closely monitored.

The Theory of Planned Behavior and Physical Activity Change: Outcomes of the Aging Well and Healthily Intervention Program for Older Adults.

The predictive value of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) on intention and physical activity (PA) over time was examined. Data from the Aging Well and Healthily intervention program (targeting perceived behavioral control and attitude, not subjective norm) were analyzed, including pretest (T0), posttest (T1, except subjective norm) and 4-6 months follow-up (T2, PA outcomes only) (N = 387, M age 72 years). Structural equation modeling was used to test a TPB model. PA was measured subjectively using the Voorrips sports subscale (T0 and T2), items measured perceived increase in PA (T1), and adherence to exercises (T1 and T2). Model fit was good. The TPB explained variation in intention well (R2 .54-.60) and some PA behavior (R2 .13-.16). The intervention successfully got participants to exercise independent of the measured TPB concepts. More TPB studies in the context of interventions are needed.

Implementation intention and planning interventions in Health Psychology: Recommendations from the Synergy Expert Group for research and practice.

The current article details a position statement and recommendations for future research and practice on planning and implementation intentions in health contexts endorsed by the Synergy Expert Group. The group comprised world-leading researchers in health and social psychology and behavioural medicine who convened to discuss priority issues in planning interventions in health contexts and develop a set of recommendations for future research and practice. The expert group adopted a nominal groups approach and voting system to elicit and structure priority issues in planning interventions and implementation intentions research. Forty-two priority issues identified in initial discussions were further condensed to 18 key issues, including definitions of planning and implementation intentions and 17 priority research areas. Each issue was subjected to voting for consensus among group members and formed the basis of the position statement and recommendations. Specifically, the expert group endorsed statements and recommendations in the following areas: generic definition of planning and specific definition of implementation intentions, recommendations for better testing of mechanisms, guidance on testing the effects of moderators of planning interventions, recommendations on the social aspects of planning interventions, identification of the preconditions that moderate effectiveness of planning interventions and recommendations for research on how people use plans.