Using tech to get fit

Aged care residents at a Sydney home are boxing their way to better health with the assistance of ceiling-mounted harnesses. It’s part of the award-winning rehabilitation program at Australian Nursing Home Foundation’s Huang Ying Jung Nursing Home in the upper north shore suburb of Gordon.

The program – which won innovation of the year in rehabilitation at this year’s Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovations Awards – also includes a portable motion sensor exercising system called SilverMOVE that offers a gamified training program.

Angela Ng – project manager of innovation at ANHF – says the program is designed to benefit residents’ wellbeing and accommodate their abilities and interests. 

“Even residents who are bedridden can benefit from using SilverMOVE to engage in upper limbs exercise,” Ng tells Australian Ageing Agenda.

The activities also aim to inject vibrancy into residents’ training routines and erase any traces of monotony, she adds.

“ANHF believes that aged care should be fun [with] a variety of activities to stimulate and bring enjoyment to the residents.”

ANHF offers culturally specific residential care and community support to over 1,500 seniors and their families from Chinese and Southeast Asian backgrounds in Sydney.

The boxing activity has been a hit among participating residents, says Ng, some who never imagined themselves boxing in their later years.

“Residents feel safe and confident using the harness during boxing training to perform punching and kicking exercises, which improve muscle strength and balance,” she says.

Residents and family members alike have been impressed with the positive impacts on physical health, Ng adds.

“One resident who used to spend most of the time in a wheelchair can now walk better with a walking frame as his muscles are being strengthened.”

SilverMOVE involves a lightweight and highly sensitive plug-and-play sensor that allows seniors to pair with diverse training equipment, such as a cycling machine and boxing gear.

“It supports circular and linear motions and spontaneous body movements, catering comprehensively to various forms of rehabilitation training,” says Ng. The system can detect whether the user’s movements are subtle or rapid and adapt accordingly, she adds.

Users can also embody various personas, such as animals and virtual characters, during their training.

“The system features different Hong Kong street scenes as backgrounds or the option to use virtual tracks resembling real-world streets to make the experience familiar and engaging for our Chinese residents, thus motivating them to exercise more,” Ng tells AAA.

Key features include the ability to adjust the sensitivity levels of sensors to suit different abilities plus individual and group training modes.

“These sensors can be attached to conventional exercise equipment such as pulleys and boxing gloves to capture data. The device is portable and easy to set up, and can be used anytime and anywhere,” says Ng.

Staff have noticed increased engagement and happiness among residents after participating in group exercises, she says.

“Social interactions have improved, enhancing overall wellbeing and quality of life within the community. The exercises contribute to both mental and physical wellbeing, adding enjoyment and purpose to residents’ daily lives.”

The residents who benefited from the training and activities want to use the technology more

Angela Ng

Innovation is ingrained in the organisation’s culture and operations at ANHF, where its four aged care homes feature a range of gerontech – a term used to describe technology designed to improve the quality of life of older people.

ANHF sources the technology from its Hong Kong-based partner, who can supply devices with culturally specific elements.

“The immersive cave and projector Flexi provides a 270-degree virtual reality experience without the need for a head-mounted VR unit. The device includes Chinese cultural VR games, such as dragon boat racing and lion dancing, to create an immersive environment for users to participate in,” says Ng.

“We also worked with our technology partner to co-create the content for our robot, customising it to meet the needs of our residents. This includes incorporating popular Chinese oldies and Chinese newspaper reading functions.”

Favourite activities among residents include the immersive travelling experience, she says. “Unlike the head-mounted VR set, this device allows multiple users to sit together and share their joyful experiences and memories.”

The cognitive training device, Button, is another favourite. It includes Mahjong, which is popular among seniors with a Chinese ethnic background, says Ng.

“Using the interactive projector to hit moles and cockroaches on the wall helps seniors exercise their upper limb muscles,” she says of another popular activity.

Staff consider the robot and interactive projector as effective tools to engage residents, says Ng. “They also find SilverMOVE effective in mobilising residents to exercise.”

While ANHF has not measured outcomes scientifically for all devices yet, in general, feedback from residents, families, and staff has been positive, says Ng.

“Some family members appreciate the innovative methods used to provide training and activities to the residents. The residents who benefited from the training and activities want to use the technology more. One of the SilverMOVE users said, ‘While using the system for exercise, I imagine myself chasing animals, and I don’t feel tired. The exercise is very fun and attractive.’”

Ng says the technology means all residents can be active participants in the programs. “Regardless of their health conditions or disability, they are given the opportunity to exercise according to their ability.”

Health and aged care researchers from Flinders University say the boom in ageing in China is underpinning the tech revolution in elder care.

There’s huge potential for user-friendly, customised wearable devices, robotic assistants and sensors to enhance the wellbeing of elderly people and the independence of those who want to remain at home, they say.

“As the traditional family-base care models become unsustainable, China is pioneering new strategies in health and aged-care management – including to suit the cultural and accessibility needs of dozens of distinct ethnic groups in the country,” says Associate Professor Angie Shafei – Flinders University’s Dean of Business.

Innovative technologies include virtual support groups and video-conferencing, telehealth and other technologies for mobility and cognitive support such as rehabilitation or service robots.

The Flinders research team is collaborating with researchers in China and other Southeast Asian and Pacific countries as part of the Asia Pacific Aged Care Hub. They have contributed to a collection of research articles covering innovative aged care practices across China’s administrative divisions.

ANHF has its sights on the region as part of plans to become an innovation and gerontechnology hub, welcoming companies to co-create with them.

“By collecting feedback from our staff, the elderly, and their carers, companies can develop better products for the ageing community,” says Ng. “As a culturally specific organisation, we can provide a good testing site for companies looking to expand their market into the Chinese and Southeast Asian market. Therefore, we are also working closely with Austrade for this purpose.”

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