Supporting healthy aging through technology: A case study of integrated health features in a mobile app for older adult users
Samina Rahman, Catherine Luna, Catherine Van Son, Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe, Ron Kim Johnson
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AbstractBackground: Digital technologies are increasingly used to support health monitoring and
behavior change; however, few are designed with the needs of older adults experiencing cognitive challenges in mind. Given the importance of healthy lifestyle behaviors for maintaining cognitive function, digital tracking systems may offer a valuable means for supporting engagement in positive health-promoting activities.
Research aim: This paper presents a case study of the Electronic Memory and Management Aid (EMMA), a prototype digital cognitive compensatory application developed for older adults experiencing cognitive challenges. Specifically, it reports findings from three exploratory studies that chronicle the user-informed development, usability testing, and long-term engagement with a health behavior tracking and medical information system integrated into the application (app).
Methods and Results: In Study 1, interviews with prior EMMA app users informed recommendations for integrating new health-related features. Study 2 involved usability testing of the newly developed health features. Ten older adult participants generally rated the features as straightforward to use and reported high satisfaction with their design. Study 3 examined qualitative feedback and three-month usage data from 39 participants enrolled in a pilot clinical trial. Initial engagement with most health features was moderate but declined over time.
Conclusion: Findings highlight both the promise and challenges of integrating health tracking tools into digital cognitive aids for older adults. Themes of user engagement and reflections on the health features are discussed, along with opportunities to promote sustained use of health features among older adults with cognitive challenges.Keywords: digital health, cognitive aging, cognitive support tools, technology adoption, user-centered design
Samina Rahman, Catherine Luna, Catherine Van Son, Maureen Schmitter-Edgecombe, Ron Kim Johnson (2026). Supporting healthy aging through technology: A case study of integrated health features in a mobile app for older adult users. Gerontechnology, 25(3), 1-13
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2026.25.3.1214.04