Activity Engagement and Everyday Technology Use Among Older Adults in an Urban Area.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated associations among activity engagement (AE), number of available and relevant everyday technologies, ability to use everyday technologies, and cognitive status among older adults in an urban area.

METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 110 participants and used three assessments: the Frenchay Activities Index to measure AE, the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire to measure the number of and ability to use available and relevant everyday technologies, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to measure cognitive status. Data analyses used a one-way analysis of variance and a multiple linear regression model.

RESULTS: The number of available and relevant everyday technologies was significantly different (p < .001) among groups that varied in level of AE. Ability to use everyday technologies did not significantly differ among groups. Cognitive status did not explain level of AE when the number of available and relevant everyday technologies was considered.

CONCLUSION: Increasing the accessibility of available and relevant everyday technologies among older adults in an urban area may increase AE.