Passive collection of geolocation data by older people with cognitive impairment: Feasibility and user experiences for use in research

Background: The community mobility and engagement of older people is an important aspect of health and quality of life. Population studies and clinical trials are important for understanding ageing-related experiences, needs, and impacts of interventions. Passive collection of data through sensors could help to build the understanding of community lives, potentially without adding to participant burden or requiring an accurate recall. There are assumptions that technology-based data collection may not be feasible or acceptable for older people with cognitive impairment. Technology development and evaluation needs to engage with the direct perspectives of users with cognitive impairment to build an understanding of usability, acceptability, and ethical considerations. Objective: To explore the feasibility, user experiences, and processes needed to support the smartphone-based collection of older people with cognitive impairment. Method: An exploratory study, embedded within a longitudinal observational study, invited older adults to collect geolocation data for one week using smartphones and Bluetooth beacons. A process to support consent, transparency of data collection, and accessibility eredeveloped. Experiences and reflections on data collection were gathered via audio-recorded semi-structured interviews and field notes. Inductive content analysis was conducted. Results: Eighteen older adults (15 with mild cognitive impairment, 3 with probable dementia; age M=86.7 years; 8 men) collected geolocation data. Most completed a week of data collection and considered it a positive experience. On average 161.5 hours (SD 31.7) of geolocation data were collected over a week. Reported user experiences included technical issues, consent and concerns, acceptability, and accessibility. Some support and reassurance were required, along with time to gain familiarity. Participants reportedly enjoyed engaging with their collected lifespace data. Conclusion: Older adults with cognitive impairment were able to collect geolocation data following an accessible and ethical process. Future work may increase usability and engagement between participants and their data to build insights.