Background: Recent transitions in long-term care in the Netherlands have major consequences for communitydwelling\nolder adults. A new paradigm expects them to manage and arrange their own care and support as much\nas possible. Technology can support this shift. A study has been conducted to explore the needs of communitydwelling\nfrail older adults with regard to an online platform. An existing platform was subsequently modified, based\nupon these needs, resulting in an online community care platform (OCC-platform) comprising of care, health, and\ncommunication functions. The purpose of this platform was to support frail older adults in their independence and\nfunctioning, by stimulating self-care and providing reliable information, products and services.\nMethods: The study used a User-Centred Design. The development processes involved the following steps: Step 1)\nIdentification of the User Requirements. To assess the user requirements, direct observations (N = 3) and interviews (N = 14)\nwere performed. Step 2) Modification of an Existing Online Platform. Based upon Step 1, available online platforms were\nexplored to determine whether an existing useful product was available. Two companies collaborated in\nmodifying such a platform; Step 3) Testing the Modified Platform. A total of 73 older adults were invited to test a\nprototype of the OCC-platform during 6 months, which comprised of two phases: (1) a training phase; and (2) a\ntesting phase.\nResults: An iterative process of modifications resulted in an interactive software concept on a Standard PC,\ncontaining 11 Functions. The Functions of ââ?¬Ë?contactsââ?¬â?¢, ââ?¬Ë?servicesââ?¬â?¢ and ââ?¬Ë?messagingââ?¬â?¢, were by far, the most frequently\nused. The use was at its highest during the first 2 weeks of the testing and then its use steadily declined. The vast\nmajority of the subjects (94%) were positive about the usability of the platform. Only a minority of the subjects\n(27%) indicated that the platform had added value for them.\nConclusion: The overall prospect was that an OCC-platform can contribute to the social participation and the\nself-management competencies of frail older adults, together with their social cohesion in the community. In\norder to validate these prospects, further research is needed on the characteristics and the impact of online\nplatforms.
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