Eveline J Wouters

Hogeschool Fontys · Faculty of People and Society

Technology acceptance models associate older age with lower intention to use digital technology although this assumption is often stereotypically-based and not sufficiently tested with older persons. This study investigated the association of ageism (rather than chronological age) with behavioral intention and actual use of technology within the th...

Background The plantar intrinsic foot muscles (PIFMs) have a role in dynamic functions, such as balance and propulsion, which are vital to walking. These muscles atrophy in older adults and therefore this population, which is at high risk to falling, may benefit from strengthening these muscles in order to improve or retain their gait performance....

Background To gain insight into the role of plantar intrinsic foot muscles in fall-related gait parameters in older adults, it is fundamental to assess foot muscles separately. Ultrasonography is considered a promising instrument to quantify the strength capacity of individual muscles by assessing their morphology. The main goal of this study was t...

BACKGROUND: A relatively high number of users is dissatisfied with their orthopaedic device. The term ‘user practice’ was introduced to emphasise the idea that users of orthopaedic devices perform activities within an environment, which are characteristic for that environment. OBJECTIVE: To investigate to what extend orthopaedic shoe engineers map...

Background and objectives: Involving older persons in the design process of digital technology (DT) promotes the development of technologies that are appealing, beneficial and used. However, negative discourse on aging and ageism are potential underlying factors that could influence which and how DTs are designed and how older persons are involved...

Objectives: Studies suggest that advance care planning (ACP) results in improved quality of life and reduced healthcare consumption. We assessed how the use of a structured advance care planning tool (ACPT) in oncology patients relates to their healthcare consumption before death, and to the match between preferred and actual place of death. Method...

Onderzoekers bestuderen de wereld zoals die is. Ontwerpers willen de wereld veranderen. Applied design research is een vorm van praktijkgericht onderzoek waarin beide benaderingen worden geïntegreerd, om nieuwe kennis op te doen én om praktische oplossingen te ontwikkelen. Maar hoe doe je dat, aangezien ontwerpen en onderzoeken sterk verschillen en...

The book investigates digitalisation in care for older people by giving insight into service users’ and professionals’ opportunities to digital agency in the context of European welfare states. With a focus on service users and providers experiences of digital care, the contributions address the manifold and often contradictory consequences of act...

Background and purpose: Deterioration of physical functioning after stroke in the long term is regarded as a major problem. Currently, the relationship between "peoples'" movement behavior patterns (the composition of sedentary behavior and physical activity during waking hours) directly after stroke and the development of physical functioning ove...

Background Digital technologies (DTs) for older adults focus mainly on health care and are considered to have the potential to improve the well-being of older adults. However, adoption rates of these DTs are considered low. Although previous research has investigated possible reasons for adoption and acceptance of DT, age-based stereotypes (eg, tho...

BACKGROUND Digital technologies (DT) for older adults focus mainly on healthcare, and are considered to have the potential to improve the wellbeing of older adults. However, adoption rates of such DT is considered low. While previous research has investigated possible reasons for adoption and acceptance of DT, age-based stereotypes (of e.g. healthc...

Secundaire preventie na een beroerte is essentieel. Juist mensen die een beroerte hebben gehad hebben een grotere kans op vroegtijdig overlijden, op het krijgen van een nieuw cardiovasculair event, maar ook op functionele achteruitgang. Bewegen kan hierbij een belangrijke preventieve rol spelen.

Although technology has the potential to promote aging in place among community-living older adults with dementia, the use remains scarce. In this literature study we provide an overview of perspectives (i.e., needs, wishes, attitudes, possibilities, and difficulties) of different stakeholders on technology use in the care for community-living olde...

Samenvatting Technologie kan langer thuis wonen van ouderen met dementie bevorderen. Toch blijft het gebruik van technologie beperkt. In dit literatuuronderzoek geven we een overzicht van de perspectieven van verschillende stakeholders op het gebruik van technologie bij thuiswonende ouderen met dementie. Perspectieven omvatten behoeften, wensen, at...

Willen we in de nabije toekomst goede zorg en ondersteuning blijven bieden, dan moet een beroep worden gedaan op de creatieve houding van professionals in zorg en welzijn. Design thinking is een werk- en onderzoekswijze die hier goed bij past. Deze ontwerpgerichte benadering helpt professionals in zorg en welzijn tot nieuwe ideeën te komen en deze...

Background and purpose The aim of this study is to investigate changes in movement behaviors, sedentary behavior and physical activity, and to identify potential movement behavior trajectory subgroups within the first two months after discharge from the hospital to the home setting in first-time stroke patients. Methods A total of 140 participants...

Background and Purpose— Movement behaviors, that is, both physical activity and sedentary behavior, are independently associated with health risks. Although both behaviors have been investigated separately in people after stroke, little is known about the combined movement behavior patterns, differences in these patterns between individuals, or the...

Background: If technologies are to support aging in place, then it is important to develop fundamental knowledge on what causes stability and changes in the use of technologies by seniors. However, longitudinal studies on the long-term use of technologies that have been accepted into the home (i.e., post-implementation use) are very scarce. Many fa...

Background Research has shown that sedentary behaviour increases the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and mortality. People with stroke are highly sedentary. Therefore, reducing sedentary behaviour might reduce the risk of secondary events and death. Personalized strategies using behavioural change techniques directed at reducing sedentary be...

Background: Research has shown that sedentary behaviour increases the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and mortality. People with stroke are highly sedentary. Therefore, reducing sedentary behaviour might reduce the risk of secondary events and death. Personalized strategies using behavioural change techniques (BCTs) directed at reducing sede...

Although technology has the potential to promote aging in place, the use of technology remains scarce among community-living older adults with dementia. A reason might be that many stakeholders are involved who all have a different perspective on technology use (i.e., needs, wishes, attitudes, possibilities, and difficulties). We systematically sea...

In deze nieuwe rubriek dragen de auteurs een steentje bij aan het vergroten van de kennis over wetenschappelijk onderzoek en de toepasbaarheid ervan in de podotherapeutische praktijk. 30 Podosophia nr. 3, mei 2015 Tekst: Sil Aarts, Yvonne van Zaalen en Eveline Wouters, Fontys Paramedische Hogeschool, lectoraat Health, Innovations & Technology Evide...

Patients with orthopedic problems often use assistive devices, e.g., ankle-foot orthoses and therapeutic footwear, to support their mobility. However, many users are not satisfied with their devices or do not use them at all, resulting in a decrease of quality of life. It has been shown that a main cause for dissatisfaction and non-use lies in the...

Background: Follow-up of stroke survivors is important to objectify activity limitations and/or participations restrictions. Responsive measurement tools are needed with a low burden for professional and patient. Aim: To examine the concurrent validity, floor and ceiling effects and responsiveness of both domains of the Late-Life Function and Disa...

In Western countries the health care system faces numerous challenges. We explore the potential of the normative practice approach to analyze the present system, to provide new insights in the redesign of the health care network, and to offer new concepts to understand the needs and wishes of patients. We present a case study of assistive devices i...

Introduction Moving to a nursing home is a significant life event that requires a large set of adaptation skills from older people. Apart from providing care, nursing homes should be a place where residents feel at home. This sense of home is a complex phenomenon comprising aspects of security and autonomy. Purpose This study aims at mapping the ex...

Bij toetsende statistiek wordt, met behulp van een statistische berekening, een hypothese getoetst. Er wordt bijvoorbeeld bepaald of het verschil dat we zien tussen twee groepen op toeval berust of niet. Of er wordt bepaald of de samenhang die we zien tussen twee variabelen wel of niet toevallig is. De keuze welke toetst van toepassing is op de ond...

Background Living independently can be challenging for seniors. Technologies are expected to help older adults age in place, yet little empirical research is available on how seniors develop a need for technologies, how they acquire these technologies, and how these subsequently affect their lives. Aging is complex, dynamic and personal. But how do...

One of the most fascinating trends of the twenty-first century is the fact that most of us will live a long and mostly healthy and active life. Since 1840, life expectancy in the world has increased by an extra 3 months per year, a linear trend that has not reached its maximum. This trend is seen worldwide: both the increasing proportion of older p...

Expectations are high with regards to smart home technology. In particular, smart home technology is expected to support or enable independent living by older adults. This raises the question: can smart home technology contribute to independent living, according to older adults themselves? This chapter aims to answer this question by reviewing and...

In order to accept and implement technology in a successful manner, not only determinants (acceptance barriers or facilitators) related to individual persons, for instance, health care providers as well as health care recipients, are important. Also interpersonal relationships on the work floor as well as the readiness and support of the organizati...

For care professionals, the main drive and, related to that, their job satisfaction, is based on being able to satisfy the needs of those who receive their care. Furthermore, most professionals working in contexts in which chronic care is provided, value inter-collegial respect and appreciation of supervisors. Therefore, success and failure factors...

Aim: Technology is suggested to support ageing-in-place. For care- and technology professionals working with older persons it is important to know how to facilitate the use of technology by older persons. This paper presents the translation of the results of a field study into multilevel and multidisciplinary educational material. Method: During ho...

BACKGROUND: Non-use of and dissatisfaction with ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) occurs frequently. The objective of this study is to gain insight in the conversation during the intake and examination phase, from the clients' perspective, at two levels: 1) the attention for the activities and the context in which these activities take place, and 2) the q...

Background: Partial weight bearing is frequently instructed by physical therapists in patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. The use of biofeedback devices seems promising to improve the patient's compliance with weight-bearing instructions. SmartStep and OpenGo-Science are biofeedback devices that provide real-time feedback. For a successfu...

Thematically categorized examples of patients’ and physical therapists’ comments on the usability of biofeedback devices extracted from the think-aloud data and the open questions. Note. PT = physical therapist. (DOCX)

Background: Stroke is not only an acute disease, but for the majority of patients, it also becomes a chronic condition. There is a major concern about the long-term follow-up with respect to activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke survivors. Some patients seem to be at risk for decline after a first-ever stroke. The purpose of this study was to...

Background The sense of home of nursing home residents is a multifactorial phenomenon which is important for the quality of living. This purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the sense of home of older adults residing in the nursing home from the perspective of residents, relatives and care professionals. Methods A total...

Purpose More and more seniors are using computers and smartphones on a regular basis 1. However, research shows that many seniors are only using a small number of the apps available to them, in contrast to younger adults 2. The current study aims to explore reasons for this selective use of apps by seniors.. Method A longitudinal qualitative field...

Background: There is a growing interest in empowering older adults to age in place by deploying various types of technology (ie, eHealth, ambient assisted living technology, smart home technology, and gerontechnology). However, initiatives aimed at implementing these technologies are complicated by the fact that multiple stakeholder groups are invo...

Purpose . To provide an overview of factors influencing the sense of home of older adults residing in the nursing home. Methods . A systematic review was conducted. Inclusion criteria were (1) original and peer-reviewed research, (2) qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research, (3) research about nursing home residents (or similar type of...

Smart homes, home automation and ambient-assisted living are terms used to describe technological systems that enrich our living environment and provide means to support care, facilitate well-being and improve comfort. This handbook provides an overview of the domain from the perspective of health care and technology. In Part 1, we set out to descr...

Despite its potential, the acceptance of technology to support the ability to live independently in one’s own home, also called aging in place, is not optimal. Family members may play a key role in technology acceptance by older adults; however, it is not well understood why and how they exert influence. Based on open interviews with 53 community-d...

Bed-ridden nursing home residents are in need of environments which are homelike and facilitate the provision of care. Design guidance for this group of older people is limited. This study concerned the exploration and generation of innovative environmental enrichment scenarios for bed-ridden residents. This exploration was conducted through a comb...

The aim of this study was to investigate the use, non-use, satisfaction, and dissatisfaction of ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) in order to improve the performance of the whole orthopedic chain.

The quality of the built environment can impact the quality of life and the sense of home of nursing home residents. This study investigated (1) which factors in the physical and social environment correlate with the sense of home of the residents and (2) which environmental factors are most meaningful. Twelve participants engaged in a qualitative...

Most older adults prefer to age in place, and supporting older adults to remain in their own homes and communities is also favored by policy makers. Technology can play a role in staying independent, active and healthy. However, the use of technology varies considerably among older adults. Previous research indicates that current models of technolo...

The growing importance of technology in health care calls for interdisciplinary study programmes in which students with various backgrounds work together in exploring and designing new solutions for real-life problems. The Centre of Healthcare and Technology of Fontys University of Applied Sciences (Fontys EGT), the Netherlands, is presented as an...

The overall health status of the population is often measured by RAND-36 item Health Survey. In 2012, Fontys and partners started a longitudinal field study in the Netherlands. This study is aimed at identifying factors that influence the use of technology by elderly individuals in order to increase independent living. A total of 50 participants ag...

For care professionals, the main drive and, related to that, their job satisfaction, is based on being able to satisfy the needs of those who receive their care. Furthermore, most professionals working in contexts in which chronic care is provided, value inter-collegial respect and appreciation of supervisors. Therefore, success and failure factors...

Expectations are high with regards to smart home technology. In particular, smart home technology is expected to support or enable independent living by older adults. This raises the question: can smart home technology contribute to independent living, according to older adults themselves? This chapter aims to answer this question by reviewing and...

Background Loneliness is expected to become an even bigger social problem in the upcoming decades, because of the growing number of older adults. It has been argued that the use of social network sites can aid in decreasing loneliness and improving mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine whether and how social network sites usage is...

Technology and architectural solutions are needed as a means of support in future nursing homes. This study investigated how various monodisciplinary groups of stakeholders from healthcare and technology envision the nursing home of the future and which elements are necessary for its creation. Moreover, differences in needs and interests between th...

The nursing home is often a final stage in the living career of older persons, but the question remains whether it is a true home or merely a place where care is provided for the residents. This study investigates the sense of home and its constituent factors among both permanent and temporary residents of nursing homes in The Netherlands. A qualit...

Buildings with innovative technologies and architectural solutions are needed as a means of support for future nursing homes alongside adequate care services. This study investigated how various groups of stakeholders from healthcare and technology envision the nursing home of the future in the presumed perspective of residents, care professionals...

Met technologie is het mogelijk op afstand te communiceren en toezicht te houden. De laatste jaren is de ontwikkeling van technologie, met name voor mensen met dementie, fors toegenomen. In verpleeghuizen is deze technologie vooral bedoeld om risicovolle situaties (zoals vallen, dwalen), tijdig te detecteren. Daarnaast wordt technologie gebruikt om...

Door de demografische veranderingen, krapte in de gezondheidszorg en niet in de laatste plaats de wens van de meeste ouderen, zullen steeds meer mensen langer thuis blijven, ook op hoge leeftijd. De indicatie om toegelaten te worden in een verpleeghuis is flink verzwaard, en het aantal verzorgingshuisplaatsen wordt afgebouwd. Dat betekent dat mense...

Purpose: Although aging in place is preferred by most older adults and policy makers, there are situations in which aging in place can be challenging. This is particularly true in the case of cognitive decline, which has a profound influence on all aspects of life, including the use of technology1,2. Technology may compensate for some consequences...

Technology has the potential to support the independence of community-dwelling older adults, but it can also make their lives more complicated. What makes older adults buy or acquire technology? And what drives or impedes their use of technology? These questions need to be answered in order to successfully implement technology to support aging in p...

Purpose: When designing a nursing home, architects and planners need to consider ways to provide patients and caregivers with a feeling of a natural setting and being a part of the outdoor world as well as considering themes such as having accessible gardens that take the total well-being of its residents1. A substantial mountain of evidence sugges...

Purpose To provide an overview of factors influencing the acceptance of electronic technologies that support aging in place by community-dwelling older adults. Since technology acceptance factors fluctuate over time, a distinction was made between factors in the pre-implementation stage and factors in the post-implementation stage. Methods A syste...

One of the most fascinating trends of the twenty-first century is the fact that most of us will live a long and mostly healthy and active life. Since 1840, life expectancy in the world has increased by an extra 3 months per year, a linear trend that has not reached its maximum. This trend is seen worldwide: both the increasing proportion of older p...

Light therapy is applied as treatment for a variety of problems related to health and ageing, including dementia. Light therapy is administered via light boxes, light showers, and ambient bright light using ceiling-mounted luminaires. Long-term care facilities are currently installing dynamic lighting systems with the aim to improve the well-being...

The worldwide obesity epidemic is a complex problem, resulting from the interaction of individual metabolic, genetic, and psychological factors with meso-and macro environmental factors. Adolescents, with their rapid changes in body composition, together with their shift in orientation from the direct family to the peer-related environment, are par...

Er zullen steeds meer mensen langer thuis blijven, ook op hoge leeftijd. De indicatie om toegelaten te worden in een verpleeghuis is flink verzwaard. Mensen die in de nabije toekomst in een verpleeghuis worden opgenomen, hebben over het algemeen intensievere zorg nodig dan in het verleden het geval was. Het zijn veelal de laatste levensjaren, die m...

Background: This prospective study examined physical and mental quality of life up to 6 years after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and the predictive role of quality of life for weight outcome. Method: Forty-five LAGB patients (38 female, 7 male) filled out the short form-36 (SF-36) health survey 6 months before and 1 and 6 years af...

There is an increasing call in society for the improvement of well-being for nursing home residents and the support of care professionals through a wide array of architectural and technological solutions that are available in modern nursing homes. This study investigated which of these solutions are considered essential by stakeholders from healthc...

The worldwide obesity epidemic is a major and complex problem, resulting from theinteraction of individual metabolic, genetic, and psychological factors with meso- andmacro environmental factors. Adolescents, with their rapid changes in body composition,together with their shift in orientation from the direct family to the peer-relatedenvironment,...