EHealth interventions are recognized to have a tremendous potential to promote patient engagement. To date, the majority of studies examine the efficacy of eHealth in enhancing clinical outcomes without focusing on patient engagement in its specificity. This paper aimed at reviewing findings from the literature about the use of eHealth in engaging patients in their own care process. We undertook a comprehensive literature search within the peer-reviewed international literature. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. eHealth interventions reviewed were mainly devoted to foster only partial dimensions of patient engagement (i.e. alternatively cognitive, emotional or behavioral domains related to healthcare management), thus failing to consider the complexity of such an experience. This also led to a great heterogeneity of technologies, assessed variables and achieved outcomes. This systematic review underlines the need for a more holistic view of patient needs to actually engage them in Ehealth interventions and obtaining positive outcomes. In this sense, patient engagement constitute a new frontiers for healthcare models where eHealth could maximize its potentialities.

Aging affects many aspects of everyday living, such as autonomy, security and quality of life. Among all, spatial memory and spatial navigation show a gradual but noticeable decline, as a result of both neurobiological changes and the general slowing down of cognitive functioning. We conducted a systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to identify studies that specifically investigated the role of allocentric and egocentric frames in healthy aging. Concerning spatial navigation, our results showed a preservation of egocentric strategies, along with specific impairments in the use of allocentric and switching abilities. Regarding spatial memory, instead, outcomes were more divergent and not frame-specific. With this perspective, spatial impairments were discussed considering the cognitive profile of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD).

An increasing amount of evidence has shown that embodiment of a virtual body via visuo-tactile stimulation can lead to an altered perception of body and object size. The current study aimed to investigate whether virtual reality (VR) body swapping can be an effective tool for modifying the enduring memory of the body. The experimental sample included 21 female participants who were asked to estimate the width and circumference of different body parts before any kind of stimulation and after two types of body swapping illusions (“synchronous visuo-tactile stimulation” and “asynchronous visuo-tactile stimulation”). Findings revealed that after participants embodied a virtual body with a skinny belly (independently of the type of visuo-tactile stimulation), there was an update of the stored representation of the body: participants reported a decrease in the ratio between estimated and actual body measures for most of the body parts considered. Based on the Allocentric Lock Theory, these findings provide first evidence that VR body swapping is able to induce a change in the memory of the body. This knowledge may be potentially useful for patients suffering from eating and weight disorders.

Journal of Medical Internet Research - International Scientific Journal for Medical Research, Information and Communication on the Internet

Several studies have reported the efficacy of group reminiscence in improving wellbeing in older adults. Still, the potential of intergenerational reminiscence, involving groups of seniors and children, has not been thoroughly investigated. We explored the potential benefits of this approach in a feasibility study, which involved 32 older adults and 114 students participating in a within-subject, repeated measures design. Participants were assigned to 16 groups, each including two seniors and six to eight pupils. The intervention consisted of three weekly meetings, totaling to about six hours of reminiscing activities. Pretest and posttest measures included seniors’ perceived levels of Loneliness, Self-esteem, and Quality of life. In addition, the effects of intergenerational contact on children's perception of the elderly were investigated by using an ad hoc semantic differential scale. Analyses of pre- and postintervention measures revealed that the elderly participants reported significantly lower values of loneliness and an increase in perceived Quality of life. Further, results indicated that following their participation in the program the children's attitude towards the elderly positively changed in a positive way. Intergenerational group reminiscence is a potentially effective activity to improve psychosocial wellbeing and Quality of life in healthy older adults and to improve the way younger generations perceive the elderly.