Study at USC tests smartphone app to help older adults with memory problems stay active. Join today!

Despite the health benefits of physical activity, community-living older people with dementia have 26% lower physical activity levels than their cognitively healthy peers. Health-related smartphone applications (apps) are now frequently used to help people lead healthier lifestyles and provide a promising way to increase older adults' physical activity. Unfortunately, no physical activity apps exist that have been adapted for older persons with cognitive impairment despite that this group could benefit from such health-supportive tools. 

The app-based intervention proposed for this study is named Moving Up-A. It includes features designed to assist older adults who have mild cognitive impairments become more physically active. The app provides users support to overcome common barriers to physical activity they may experience by increasing awareness about one’s physical activity patterns and by sending a variety of messages, tips, activities, and reminders.

To participate in this study, we are looking for older adults (65 years or older) who have difficulty with memory or thinking, who own smartphones, reside in the Los Angeles area or in the Pacific Time Zone, and are not very physically active.

Keywords: smartphone app, physical activity, older adults, MCI, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, mild dementia, memory difficulties