Abstract
Providing online support using handheld tablets has been investigated for maintaining mental health and improving and preventing physical frailty in older adults since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The methods and applications of online support have expanded to include communicating with family members and friends, rehabilitation, and health observation. There are new concerns that the number COVID-19 infections might continue to fluctuate due to virus mutations over the long term, and frailty and cognitive decline might increase in older adults due to decreased outing and exercise opportunities, as well as persistent anxiety and loneliness. Therefore, online support has developed from the trial stage to being a part of the daily support infrastructure for older adults. This study conducted interviews with service providers and developers who have been developing and implementing multi-layered online support for home care patients since 2014 in Helsinki and nursing home and home-visit nursing stations’ online support managers in Japan. As a result, this study identified critical issues in supporting older adults by using ICT communication services.
