App to Improve Lives of Older Adults Is Set for First Major User Tests

The first major user test of an application developed at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) designed to improve the functional lives of older adults is about to commence. The mobile Physical Activity Training (mPACT) app has been in development since 2015, for combining low-impact chair exercises with brain training games that can enhance cognitive function and mind-body coordination. UAH Professor Lenora Smith says mPACT testing will start under a grant from the American Nurses Foundation with 50 participants wearing Fitbit devices to evaluate heart rate. "This will be a one-year study to assess the usability, or ease of use, of the mPACT app and provide feedback for revisions and improvements," she notes. "We want to see whether they reach their target heart rate while using it for aerobic exercise, with the end goal of improving cognition in people with mild cognitive impairment." Another study goal is to assess how much low-impact exercise is needed for someone to reach the target heart range. The results of the study will be used to evaluate mPACT's intuitive operability and appeal to users over prolonged periods.