摘要：Over the past years, the development of technology applications for elderly people hasincreased, creating new possibilities for treatment. These applications are usually identifiedas successful solutions for mental health but usability limitations may influence their effectivedeployment in clinical use. The objective of this study was to examine the usability aspectsof a cognitive and physical training platform, comparing these aspects in healthy elderly,subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and others with dementia. Method: 80 elderlywere recruited from different clinical contexts. They received three months of training withthe Long Lasting Memories (LLM) platform and were assessed through a specialquestionnaire that asked for the usability aspects of the program. Results: High scores werefound in all the sections of the questionnaire, indicating good usability and satisfaction withthe LLM system. Participants with dementia expressed more difficulties than the rest ofsubjects (F(2,160) = 4,488; p = .009) in learning how to use LLM. Also most of theprofessionals found LLM difficult (60%) or very difficult (20%) for elderly subjects withcognitive impairment to use without help and revealed that this group needed moreexplanations in the use of the platform. Conclusion: The strengths and problems foundrelated to usability enabled a better understanding of the LLM system that contributedimproving the software. The results also highlighted the importance of examining not onlythe cognitive effectiveness of new rehabilitation programs, but also the immediate issues ofdesign and acceptance by end users.
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