GPS Tracking Technologies to Measure Mobility-Related Behaviors in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Global positioning system (GPS) technology has been increasingly used in aging research as a tool for reliably capturing the level and patterns of mobility among older adults. This article aims to systematically review the current state of GPS-based mobility research with community-dwelling older adults. Twenty-nine studies from 2008 to 2019 are included. Included studies examined various forms of temporal and spatial mobility measures. This review provides a synthesis of the current evidence on the risk factors or correlates of GPS-driven mobility limitations, such as demographic, cognitive, physical, psychological, and environmental factors. There is variability in types of GPS technology and GPS-derived mobility measures, GPS recording methods, data processing, and correlates of mobility limitation across studies. Future research should focus on identifying meaningful GPS-derived mobility measures and developing standardized protocols for GPS administration and data analytics for comparison across studies.