This study aimed to assess the perceived usability of Zoom as a telehealth platform for delivering a virtual fall screening program for older adults.
A convenience sample of community-dwelling older adults were recruited to participate in a single session virtual fall risk screening session. The participants completed the system usability scale (SUS), upon completion of the procedure. A convenience sample of community-dwelling older adults were recruited to participate in a single session virtual fall risk screening session. The participants completed the system usability scale (SUS), upon completion of the procedure.
Thirty participants with a mean age of 71.47 years (standard deviation 5.97 years, range 65-88 years,) consented to participate. Six participants (20%) required an assistive device for walking. Six participants (20%) lived with their caregivers. Based on the Short Portable Mental Status questionnaire, 29 participants (96.7%) had normal cognitive functioning, and one participant (3.3%) had mild cognitive impairment. Six participants (20%) were assisted by their caregivers during the videoconference and environment setup of their telehealth sessions. Participants were identified as high risk for falls based on the following tools: ABC (n=4), TUG (n=10), 30sCST (n=8), 4 stage balance test (n=3), Quick-STEADI algorithm (n=50. The mean activities-specific balance confidence scale (ABC) score was 88.51 (range 27-100) with 24 (80%) participants considered to have high level of balance confidence, while 4 (13.3%) and 2 (6.7%) were noted to have moderate and low level of balance confidence respectively. The average SUS total score of 76.30 (95% Confidence Interval 70.56 - 82.02) did not meet the benchmark of SUS 80 which is an above average user experience score. Additionally, perceived complexity (mean = 2.03, SD = 1.50) and perceived learnability (mean = 4.17, SD 0.87) exceeded the benchmark of SUS 68 while perceived ease of use (mean = 4.37, SD=0.81) and confidence in use (mean = 4.47, SD = 0.78) exceeded the benchmark of SUS 80.
Overall, while the average total usability score was below the SUS benchmark of 80, specific aspects like complexity, perceived ease of use, learnability, and confidence surpassed their respective benchmarks.
This study highlights that with appropriate guidance and caregiver support, older adults can successfully navigate virtual platforms like Zoom for health assessments. Physical therapists should consider telehealth as a viable option for delivering virtual fall risk screenings and interventions, acknowledging that while there may be an initial learning curve, participants are generally able to adapt and gain confidence with continued use. In addition to navigating the telehealth platform, the most challenging aspect of a virtual fall risk screening for participants was moving and adjusting the camera for optimal view, which may improve with practice and experience.
Older Adults
Fall Screening
