Commercial wrist-worn wearable devices for older adults: a scoping review

Purpose: This study aims to review the scientific literature on commercial smart wrist-worn devices for monitoring health and well-being in older adults. Materials and methods: Searches were conducted in four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and IEEE Xplore. The included studies are original, peer-reviewed, published in English, and involved older adults aged 60 years and older who used commercial smart wrist-worn devices (such as smart bands and smartwatches). Results and conclusions: Following the eligibility criteria, 14 studies were selected for review. The studies evaluated the effectiveness of these wrist-worn devices in predicting fall risk, detecting atrial fibrillation, and analysing gait patterns and mobility in free-living conditions. Additionally, the devices proved effective in measuring physical activity parameters and assessing sleep. Overall, commercial wrist-worn devices show promise as reliable tools for monitoring health and mobility in older adults.