The Impact of Digital Coaching Intervention for Improving Healthy Ageing Dimensions among Older Adults during Their Transition from Work to Retirement

Sara Santini, Paolo Fabbietti (), Flavia Galassi, Alessandra Merizzi, Johannes Kropf, Niklas Hungerländer and Vera Stara
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Sara Santini: Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Aging, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Paolo Fabbietti: Unit of Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology and Biostatistics, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Flavia Galassi: Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Aging, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Alessandra Merizzi: Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Aging, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, Italy
Johannes Kropf: Salumentis OG, 1130 Wien, Austria
Niklas Hungerländer: AIT, 1130 Wien, Austria
Vera Stara: Model of Care and New Technologies, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, 60124 Ancona, Italy

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-19

Abstract: Retirement is a critical step in older adults’ lives, so it is important to motivate them to stay physically active, mentally healthy, and socially connected in the transition from work to retirement, including through digital health coaching programs. This study aims to: evaluate the impact of a digital coaching intervention to enhance three healthy ageing dimensions, i.e., physical activity, mental well-being, and socialization of a group of adults near retirement; understand the users’ experience; and identify the system strengths and weaknesses. This longitudinal mixed-methods study, carried out in 2021 in Italy and the Netherlands, enrolled 62 individuals. In the first 5 weeks of the trial, participants used a digital coach with the support of human coaches, and then they continued autonomously for another 5 weeks. The use of the digital coach improved the participants’ physical activity, mental well-being and self-efficacy during the first period and only the physical activity in the second. An effective coaching system should be flexible and attractive. High levels of personalization remain the golden key to aligning the health program to the physical, cognitive and social status of the intended target, thus increasing the user-system interaction, usability, and acceptability, as well as enhancing adherence to the intervention.

Keywords: digital coaching intervention; healthy ageing; older adults; retirement; transition to retirement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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