Background and Objectives: Technology has the potential to provide assistance and enrichment to older people; however, the desired outcomes are dependent on users’ acceptance and usage. The senior technology acceptance model (STAM) was developed as a multidimensional measure assessing older people’s acceptance of general technology. It contained 11 constructs measured by 38 items and had shown satisfactory psychometric properties. However, the length of the questionnaire increased respondent burden and limited its utilization. The study aimed to develop a brief, reliable, and valid version of scale to measure older people’s technology acceptance by shortening the full, 38-item STAM questionnaire.Research Design and Methods: The research method included (1) a sequential item-reduction strategy maximizing internal consistency, (2) convergent and discriminant validity analysis based on confirmative factor analysis, and (3) an expert review of resultant items. Data previously collected for developing the original STAM questionnaire were used to create the brief version. The data were collected from 1,012 community-dwelling individuals aged 55 and older in Hong Kong. Internal consistency and construct validity of the shortened questionnaire were examined. Two experts were invited for reviewing content validity.Results: The final 14-item, brief version of the STAM questionnaire consisted of a 4-factor structure, representing classical technology acceptance constructs and age-related health characteristics. Theoretical relationships in the brief version showed similar patterns to the original STAM. The 14-item STAM demonstrated robustness in psychometrics by preserving the reliability and validity of the original STAM questionnaire.Discussion and Implications: The availability of a reliable and valid assessment tool of the short STAM can help researchers and practitioners to measure older adults’ acceptance of technology and its effective usage. The short STAM could save administration time, reduce the burden on respondents, and be included in large-scale surveys.

Depressive symptoms are common in older people; most previous research on elderly depression focused on individual-level characteristics or neighborhood socioeconomic status. Modifiable neighborhood characteristics of older people dwelling in low-income communities are under-studied. This study aims to identify potentially modifiable social and physical neighborhood characteristics that influence depressive symptoms independent of individual-level characteristics among older Chinese. Data came from a cross-sectional survey conducted in four low-income public rental housing estates in Hong Kong in 2012. We interviewed a total of 400 elderly residents. The structured questionnaire covered demographics, activities of daily living, recent fall history, neighborhood support networks, and perceived proximity by walk to community facilities. Multiple regression was used to test whether inclusion of neighborhood factors in addition to individual characteristics increases model fit in explaining depressive symptoms in elders with low socioeconomic status. At individual level, activities of daily living and income significantly predicted depressive symptoms. Receiving support from friends or neighbors is associated with fewer depressive symptoms. However, participants who received organizational support had a 1.17 points of increase on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). At-ease walkable proximity to medical facilities was positively associated with a better GDS score. Neighborhood support networks and perceived proximity by walk to community facilities contribute significantly to depressive symptoms among low-income elders. Programs and policies that facilitate neighborhood support and commuting or promote facility accessibility may help ameliorate depressive symptoms common among low-income elders.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate resilience factors that help Chinese older adults living alone cope with senses of loneliness. Method: Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted on 13 older adults living alone in the community who did not show severe loneliness. Trained research assistants conducted interviews guided by semi-structured interview guidelines. The analysis followed a five-step interpretive approach. Results: The primary theme of resilience was found in cognitive competence, self and personality, and social relations. The secondary theme of resilience showed a family-oriented, relationship-focused resilience coping, which is in line with Chinese culture. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that family-oriented and relationship-focused resilience at the cognitive, self and personality, and social relations levels played significant roles in helping the Chinese older adults overcome their high risk of loneliness. Developing and maintaining dynamic daily rhythms that can integrate family-oriented and relationship-focused coping strategies at the cognitive and social levels are recommended.