TY - JOUR
T1 - Differences in Life Space Activity Patterns Between Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment Living Alone or as a Couple
T2 - Cohort Study Using Passive Activity Sensing
AU - Muurling, Marijn
AU - Au-Yeung, Wan-Tai M.
AU - Beattie, Zachary
AU - Wu, Chao-Yi
AU - Dodge, Hiroko
AU - Rodrigues, Nathaniel K.
AU - Gothard, Sarah
AU - Silbert, Lisa C.
AU - Barnes, Lisa L.
AU - Steele, Joel S.
AU - Kaye, Jeffrey
N1 - Funding Information: W-TMA-Y developed the algorithms to calculate TOOH and ILSA. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (P30-AG008017, P30AG066518, and U2C AG054397 to JAK and RF1AG22018, P3010161, and R01AG17917 to LLB.) and the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development (IIR 17-144 to LCS). Research by Alzheimer Center Amsterdam is part of the neurodegeneration research program of Amsterdam Neuroscience. Alzheimer Center Amsterdam is supported by Stichting Alzheimer Nederland and Stichting VUmc fonds. MM would like to thank Alzheimer Nederland for its grant, which made it possible to visit Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH) and write this paper. Publisher Copyright: ©Marijn Muurling, Wan-Tai M Au-Yeung, Zachary Beattie, Chao-Yi Wu, Hiroko Dodge, Nathaniel K Rodrigues, Sarah Gothard, Lisa C Silbert, Lisa L Barnes, Joel S Steele, Jeffrey Kaye.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: Measuring function with passive in-home sensors has the advantages of real-world, objective, continuous, and unobtrusive measurement. However, previous studies have focused on 1-person homes only, which limits their generalizability. Objective: This study aimed to compare the life space activity patterns of participants living alone with those of participants living as a couple and to compare people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with cognitively normal participants in both 1- and 2-person homes. Methods: Passive infrared motion sensors and door contact sensors were installed in 1- and 2-person homes with cognitively normal residents or residents with MCI. A home was classified as an MCI home if at least 1 person in the home had MCI. Time out of home (TOOH), independent life space activity (ILSA), and use of the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom were calculated. Data were analyzed using the following methods: (1) daily averages over 4 weeks, (2) hourly averages (time of day) over 4 weeks, or (3) longitudinal day-to-day changes. Results: In total, 129 homes with people living alone (n=27, 20.9%, MCI and n=102, 79.1%, no-MCI homes) and 52 homes with people living as a couple (n=24, 46.2%, MCI and n=28, 53.8%, no-MCI homes) were included with a mean follow-up of 719 (SD 308) days. Using all 3 analysis methods, we found that 2-person homes showed a shorter TOOH, a longer ILSA, and shorter living room and kitchen use. In MCI homes, ILSA was higher in 2-person homes but lower in 1-person homes. The effects of MCI status on other outcomes were only found when using the hourly averages or longitudinal day-to-day changes over time, and they depended on the household type (alone vs residing as a couple). Conclusions: This study shows that in-home behavior is different when a participant is living alone compared to when they are living as a couple, meaning that the household type should be considered when studying in-home behavior. The effects of MCI status can be detected with in-home sensors, even in 2-person homes, but data should be analyzed on an hour-to-hour basis or longitudinally.
AB - Background: Measuring function with passive in-home sensors has the advantages of real-world, objective, continuous, and unobtrusive measurement. However, previous studies have focused on 1-person homes only, which limits their generalizability. Objective: This study aimed to compare the life space activity patterns of participants living alone with those of participants living as a couple and to compare people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with cognitively normal participants in both 1- and 2-person homes. Methods: Passive infrared motion sensors and door contact sensors were installed in 1- and 2-person homes with cognitively normal residents or residents with MCI. A home was classified as an MCI home if at least 1 person in the home had MCI. Time out of home (TOOH), independent life space activity (ILSA), and use of the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom were calculated. Data were analyzed using the following methods: (1) daily averages over 4 weeks, (2) hourly averages (time of day) over 4 weeks, or (3) longitudinal day-to-day changes. Results: In total, 129 homes with people living alone (n=27, 20.9%, MCI and n=102, 79.1%, no-MCI homes) and 52 homes with people living as a couple (n=24, 46.2%, MCI and n=28, 53.8%, no-MCI homes) were included with a mean follow-up of 719 (SD 308) days. Using all 3 analysis methods, we found that 2-person homes showed a shorter TOOH, a longer ILSA, and shorter living room and kitchen use. In MCI homes, ILSA was higher in 2-person homes but lower in 1-person homes. The effects of MCI status on other outcomes were only found when using the hourly averages or longitudinal day-to-day changes over time, and they depended on the household type (alone vs residing as a couple). Conclusions: This study shows that in-home behavior is different when a participant is living alone compared to when they are living as a couple, meaning that the household type should be considered when studying in-home behavior. The effects of MCI status can be detected with in-home sensors, even in 2-person homes, but data should be analyzed on an hour-to-hour basis or longitudinally.
KW - 2-person home
KW - activities of daily living
KW - activity pattern
KW - aging
KW - at home
KW - cognition
KW - cognitive impairment
KW - daily activities
KW - digital health
KW - elder
KW - geriatric
KW - gerontology
KW - in-home sensor
KW - life space activity
KW - mild cognitive impairment
KW - old age
KW - older adult
KW - passive monitoring
KW - sensor
KW - technology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85176729039&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.2196/45876
DO - https://doi.org/10.2196/45876
M3 - Article
C2 - 37819694
SN - 2561-7605
VL - 6
JO - JMIR Aging
JF - JMIR Aging
M1 - e45876
ER -