Reicherzer Leah, Scheermesser Mandy, Kläy Adrian, Duarte Jaime E, Graf Eveline S
Institute of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Medbase AG, Zurich, Switzerland.
JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2024 Aug 9;11:e52676. doi: 10.2196/52676.
Light wearable robots have the potential to assist older adults with mobility impairments in daily life by compensating for age-related decline in lower extremity strength. Physiotherapists may be the first point of contact for older adults with these devices.
The aims of this study were to explore views of older adults and physiotherapists on wearable robots as assistive devices for daily living and to identify the barriers and facilitators to their use.
Six older adults (aged 72-88 years) tested a wearable robot (Myosuit) and participated in semistructured interviews. A focus group with 6 physiotherapists who had a minimum of 5 years of professional experience and specialized in geriatrics was conducted. Data were analyzed using thematic qualitative text analysis.
Older adults perceived benefits and had positive use experiences, yet many saw no need to use the technology for themselves. Main barriers and facilitators to its use were the perception of usefulness, attitudes toward technology, ease of use, and environmental factors such as the support received. Physiotherapists named costs, reimbursement schemes, and complexity of the technology as limiting factors.
A light wearable robot-the Myosuit-was found to be acceptable to study participants as an assistive device. Although characteristics of the technology are important, the use and acceptance by older adults heavily depend on perceived usefulness and need.
轻便型可穿戴机器人有潜力通过弥补老年人下肢力量与年龄相关的衰退，来协助行动不便的老年人进行日常生活活动。物理治疗师可能是老年人使用这些设备的第一接触点。
本研究的目的是探讨老年人和物理治疗师对可穿戴机器人作为日常生活辅助设备的看法，并确定其使用的障碍和促进因素。
6名老年人（年龄在72 - 88岁之间）测试了一款可穿戴机器人（Myosuit）并参与了半结构化访谈。对6名具有至少5年专业经验且专门从事老年病学的物理治疗师进行了焦点小组访谈。使用主题定性文本分析对数据进行分析。
老年人认识到了该设备的益处并拥有积极的使用体验，但许多人认为自己没有使用该技术的必要。其使用的主要障碍和促进因素包括对有用性的认知、对技术的态度、易用性以及诸如所获得的支持等环境因素。物理治疗师将成本、报销方案和技术复杂性列为限制因素。
研究发现，一款轻便型可穿戴机器人——Myosuit——作为辅助设备为研究参与者所接受。尽管技术特性很重要，但老年人对其的使用和接受程度很大程度上取决于感知到的有用性和需求。
