Page 34 - IJPS-10-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Design and usability evaluations of a course

indoors at home, the figure for adults aged 65 or older is and darkness conditions, outdoor exposure to daylight,
19.5 h/day (81%) (Brasche & Bischof, 2005). These figures physical activity, and sleep? One strategy is to provide
are derived from studies conducted before the COVID-19 a web-based course comprising factual information,
pandemic, so differences between age groups might have guidance for self-managed and personalized home
changed since. However, likely, time spent indoors has not adjustments, and changes to routines. Similar strategies
decreased. have been used to prevent falls in older adults living in
People spend one-third of their lives in bed sleeping, the community and to treat those with mild to moderately
and older adults often sleep poorly at night (Lockley & severe late-life depression (Pabst et al., 2020; Vieira et al.,
Foster, 2012). Research points to inadequate daytime light 2016). One of the benefits of using a web-based course is
levels in homes of older adults for visual tasks (Charness that it can be offered to many older adults to supplement
& Dijkstra, 1999) and for maintaining a healthy daily other municipal services, including those who live further
rhythm (Connolly et al., 2021). Furthermore, older adults away from senior centers. A web-based course allows
spend less time being physically active than younger course participants to complete learning activities online at
ones (<65 years) (Public Health Agency of Sweden/ their own pace. Although not yet determined, a web-based
Folkhälsomyndigheten, 2018). course could be more cost-efficient than a course delivered
in a face-to-face mode (Maloney et al., 2015).
Indoor lighting, exposure to daylight, physical activity,
and sleep interact with each other to influence functioning, Regarding internet use, however, older populations
mood, and daily rhythm (Harvard Medical School, 2019; face barriers such as age-related changes in vision,
Lockley & Foster, 2012). Being physically active during hearing, perception, memory, and comprehension, and
the day, for example, improves sleep at night. A person the digital realm is marked by a rapidly changing technical
who slept well is more likely to feel energized and be environment and web-based interfaces that require
physically active the following day. Another example is constant learning; therefore, a lack of access to computer
the importance of environmental time cues for setting the and/or broadband availability and a lack of previous
internal body clock, which in humans is slightly longer experience with computers during working life will prove
than 24 h on average. challenging to the elderly populations (König et al., 2018;
Lee et al., 2019; Notess & Lorenzen-Huber, 2007). Older
Recent studies have established convincing links adults’ internet use varies across countries and age groups.
between light-dark cycles and health, for example, between Compared to many countries in the European Union,
disturbed daily rhythm and diabetes in shift workers Sweden recorded a large share of people aged 65 – 74
(Lowden & Favero, 2017; Foster & Kreitzman, 2017). who had used the internet in the past 3 months during
Typically, aging is associated with circadian rhythm sleep the first quarter of 2020 (91%), while the average across
disorders and insomnia (Foster & Kreitzman, 2017). One the European Union was 61% (Eurostat, 2021). Among
reason could be reduced light exposure among older adults Swedish citizens born in the 1940s, 83% had used the
due to gradual yellowing of the lens and decreased pupil internet in the past 12 months, and 71% had used e-services
area (Turner & Mainster, 2008). Cataracts and age-related (Internetstiftelsen/Swedish Internet Foundation, 2021).
diseases will also reduce the light signal to the body clock
(Boyce, 2014). Taking health-promoting online courses (supplemented
with physical meetings) in later life could contribute
Although well established in research, awareness of to active aging, which benefits both the individual and
light as the most crucial environmental time cue for the society. As defined by the World Health Organization
body clock and knowledge of how to achieve appropriate (2002), active aging refers to optimizing opportunities for
lighting conditions in the home seem to be limited among health, participation, and security to enhance quality of
community-living residents in Sweden (Gerhardsson life. “Active” reflects people’s continuing participation in
et al., 2020). Furthermore, residents may know what their communities’ social, economic, cultural, spiritual,
lighting they want, but this does not necessarily mean that and civic affairs. A web-based course is one example of
they have such lighting in their home for various reasons enabling older adults to participate through education
(Gerhardsson et al., 2019). The most important factor that supports their learning. Such learning provides an
influencing lighting choices is the physical setting of the opportunity to maintain or develop new skills, such as using
interior home environment, which can facilitate or limit digital devices and digital learning platforms. In addition,
residents’ choices and actions. health promotion in terms of a web-based course in later
What strategies can promote behavioral changes among life could prevent the onset or worsening of disabilities and
community-living older adults to optimize indoor lighting reduce the risk of loneliness and social isolation through

Volume 10 Issue 2 (2024) 28 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.378