Intervention Effect of Supportive Group Therapy and Physical Exercise on the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients

Psychological distress is a multidimensional concern affecting patients’ ability to cope with cancer, its physical symptoms, and treatments. This study examined the effect of an exercise program and a group psychotherapy program on the quality of life of Greek cancer patients. The sample consisted of 39 cancer patients (10 males and 29 females), assigned randomly in three groups of 13 patients each group, that is, a control, an exercise and a psychotherapy group. The duration of the training program for the individuals of the exercise group was 10 weeks at a frequency of two sessions per week, 60 minutes each session. The patients of the psychotherapy group received a 10 weeks’ supportive–expressive group therapy, at a frequency of one time per week, of 90 minutes each meeting. The quality of life SF-36 questionnaire was administered to examine the short-term effect of both programs prior and after intervention on quality of life. Control group individuals did not participate in any program and they just filled in the SF-36 questionnaire prior and after intervention. Improvement in “vitality” (p = .006) and mental health subscale (p = .011) was statistically significant between pre and post measures in the supportive therapy group. All other domains exhibit no significant changes. In the exercise group, physical functioning, role functioning and emotional role values were also improved but not to the point to generate statistically significant results. The findings of the present study support the positive impact of psychotherapy intervention on vitality and mental health component of patients with cancer, followed in less extent by the beneficial effect of the exercise program

IoT Wearable Sensors and Devices in Elderly Care: A Literature Review

The increasing ageing global population is causing an upsurge in ailments related to old age, primarily dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, frailty, Parkinson’s, and cardiovascular disease, but also a general need for general eldercare as well as active and healthy ageing. In turn, there is a need for constant monitoring and assistance, intervention, and support, causing a considerable financial and human burden on individuals and their caregivers. Interconnected sensing technology, such as IoT wearables and devices, present a promising solution for objective, reliable, and remote monitoring, assessment, and support through ambient assisted living. This paper presents a review of such solutions including both earlier review studies and individual case studies, rapidly evolving in the last decade. In doing so, it examines and categorizes them according to common aspects of interest such as health focus, from specific ailments to general eldercare; IoT technologies, from wearables to smart home sensors; aims, from assessment to fall detection and indoor positioning to intervention; and experimental evaluation participants duration and outcome measures, from acceptability to accuracy. Statistics drawn from this categorization aim to outline the current state-of-the-art, as well as trends and effective practices for the future of effective, accessible, and acceptable eldercare with technology