New FitBit zip recording steps inconsistently + the elderly

[Petitefutee]

Hi-

My dad loved his original Fitbit and won’t wear one on his wrist. It finally quit working (dropped too many times perhaps, back wouldn’t stay on without tape, etc.). The newer types of Fitbits are also too hard for him to manipulate (he’s almost 100!). I bought a new FitBit zip on eBay (allegedly—in pristine packaging etc.) and gave it to him. It seems to work on and off. I tried it against mine and for the one day I did it, it seemed fine. I’m going to have to try again. I don’t think the zip could pick up the steps from my Alta HR, right, since we’re on different accounts? (That used to happen, but I made a new account for him.)

When I say inconsistent, an example is he’ll walk to the same place 2x in one day. One time it might show 320 steps, and another 450 steps (the latter being more accurate).

He sometimes uses a walker. I’m wondering if that is interfering. It’s puzzling because he’s still walking/stepping. He keeps the zip in his pants pocket. I’ve thought about trying it in a shirt pocket… or even seeing if we can attach it to his shoe, but it will be hard for his fingers to get the clip open.

Does anyone have experience with an older person and how steps are recorded? His other zip worked great for him until this year, so it recorded whatever size step he took. However, he never used that one with a walker. I suspect the walker is the issue, but have no proof. 

Thoughts?

PF

[JohnnyRow]

Important point you left out is where he wore his previous one -  pants pocket, shirt pocket, clip?

Did you ever check his original one, or might it have had same inconsistencies without you realizing it?

[Petitefutee]

Oh—thanks. Yes, it’s always been in the pants pocket. And the older one didn’t appear to have those problems. Or if it did, he never mentioned it until it started to go off track a bit. I attributed that to it haven fallen on the floor and the chip came out, and not being able to keep the back on except by tape. So you’re right in thinking it could have started not registering as well even with the previous one…. And maybe it wasn’t do to the fact it fell and was held together by tape (though that part seemed a logical reason).

My first ‘test’ of his against mine today showed it to be about 30 steps off… but that was not significant and wasn’t a good 25-minute effort. We’re going to give it a workout in the next two days.

Thanks for the reply.

[Petitefutee]

Well, in addition to the answers to your questions in my last reply, I did compare steps over the last few days and the difference is not significant. The only thing I can think of is that it has something to do with the walker/rolator, such that movement isn’t being detected. The new zip is only a few weeks old, so I wouldn’t think it would be malfunctioning yet.

[JohnnyRow]

One thought comes to mind right away: though tracker age often gets blamed for problems, I personally think that is hardly ever an issue, except of course when battery dies, or of it gets dropped and totally stops.   But otherwise, as with all electronics, if it works at all, it works right, in my view.  Perhaps as trackers age, there is more time for settings to accidentally get changed, and if people don't learn to understand and look at settings, they might just think things are getting old and not working right.  That's just my soapbox viewpoint.

You did mention a shirt pocket.  I would expect pants pocket is better to get the movement of the thigh going forward.  In fact I often recommend pants pocket for people on treadmill who are more concerned about steps than heart rate, but don't get steps detected because holding hand rail so no wrist movement.  Shirt picket might work when walking rapidly, sensing the body's side-to-side shift, but less likely when moving slowly.

Sorry the only older than me person I deal with doesn't really have the mental capacity to understand and remember to use a fitbit.  Sorry nobody with similar experience has chimed in here, but I think you're doing everything right.  Step count is never exact, even for younger ages wearing on wrist.

[Petitefutee]

Thanks. Good point about the electronics… it generally either works or it doesn’t. And the zip doesn’t have many ways to mess up!