Testing how older adults use a booking app with different levels of mental effort

Population aging increases the strain on healthcare systems and highlights the value of gerontechnologies in promoting the autonomy and home-based living of older adults. However, their adoption remains limited, particularly due to age-related cognitive changes.

Cognitive Load Theory attributes certain difficulties in using digital technologies to the excessive demands placed on working memory. Yet, it provides limited insight into the executive functions involved in interface interaction-specifically inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and working memory updating. The concept of "executive load" may therefore provide a framework for examining examine how excessive demands on these functions affect user efficiency.

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of mental flexibility on the usability of a digital interface among individuals aged 65 or older living in senior residences who have an MMSE score of ≥ 24/30. Executive functions, cognitive reserve, technology acceptance, and digital skills are assessed during an initial visit.

Between 24 hours and one month later, participants perform a medical appointment-booking task on a tablet twice, using two interfaces that differ in executive load (low versus high). The order of interface presentation is randomized to control for potential order and practice effects. Performance, user experience, and cognitive load are recorded after each task.

The study aims to recruit 70 participants to obtain at least 50 complete datasets. Although the study offers no direct therapeutic benefit, it is expected to help better tailor gerontechnologies to the cognitive capabilities of older adults and facilitate the design of more accessible and inclusive digital interfaces, particularly in the healthcare sector.