Steps for success
How one woman’s raffle win promoted health management
Ava Free, Brennen French and Xander Holcomb
Patricia Neuman
Age: 79 Smart Watch: Fitbit Charge 2
For Patricia Neuman, owning a Fitbit was luck of the draw.
For months, Neuman’s friends encouraged her to buy a smart watch based on their interest in the metrics it provided, such as exercise, sleep and step count.
“They really gave me a hard time, but I thought, ‘Crap, I don't think I want to buy one of those. I don’t want to spend that kind of money.’”
During a Rotary Club District Conference in 2017, Neuman decided to buy a $10 ticket for a raffle draw. Without knowing what she was gambling for, she won a Fitbit.
Her prize? Access to a world of health management.
Health Man(age)ment
Since then, Neuman relies heavily on the device to track her daily activity and sleep. She says the information made her curious.
“I didn’t know that I wasn’t sleeping as well, and turning so many times. I always thought I slept soundly,” she says.
Based on the data, Neuman decided to learn more about restless sleep, REM cycles and think about her general health altogether.
In February 2026, Neuman underwent a hip replacement, and walking is now an essential component of her recovery. The step count feature on her watch offers motivation for her to improve.
“I check it at the end of every day to see how many steps I’ve got,” she says.
According to a 2022 study by Harvard Medical School, smart wearables positively impact individuals' physical activity. Researchers found that users take an additional 1,200 steps per day due to the incentive.
In fact, Neuman says she and her friends often challenge themselves to reach their daily goal.
Neuman (centre) and her girlfriends pose for a photo on vacation together. Neuman says her and her friends enjoy sharing their smart wearable stats and challenging each other to reach their step goals for the day. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY: PATRICIA NEUMAN
Neuman (centre) and her girlfriends pose for a photo on vacation together. Neuman says her and her friends enjoy sharing their smart wearable stats and challenging each other to reach their step goals for the day. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY: PATRICIA NEUMAN
“When I was doing trips with some of these gals a few years ago, that was our big goal – Okay, see how many steps we can go,” she says. “To me it’s really important too, because I put this thing on every day, especially if I’m going out the door.”
Arjun Puri, a senior digital health strategist at the Data Intelligence for Health lab in the department of cardiac Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, says social norms and communities play a huge role not only in tech adoption by older adults but also in responsibly facilitating its use.
“A lot of what we decide to do is based on social norms. Communities, your neighbours supporting [you], being mindful of the whys behind it, of the benefits of it. [This] can help create and foster a behavioural environment where things are looked upon positively.”
One way community members, family and support systems can foster relationships with older adults is by partnering with them in their technology journey.
For some, this looks like sharing information with friends and physicians, for others, it’s an opportunity to connect with family.
Neuman says she often looks to her grandkids for support.
“I’m called a very novice [user]. I can do certain things, but I usually rely on my granddaughter to help me do anything really tech-y… I will call her, and I’ll say, ‘Honey, I don’t know how to do this.’ Oh, don’t worry about it, I’ll tell you how to do it.”
Neuman often calls her granddaughter for technology-related questions. Despite living in the same city, it's a great way for the pair to converse and connect. What started as a raffle resulted in a larger impact on Neuman and her network.
Patricia Neuman's grandkids smile for a photo at the Deane House in Inglewood on June 10, 2023. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY: PATRICIA NEUMAN
Patricia Neuman's grandkids smile for a photo at the Deane House in Inglewood on June 10, 2023. PHOTO SUPPLIED BY: PATRICIA NEUMAN
From aiding in surgery recovery to helping grow her technological fluency, Neuman has become an advocate for older adults to pick up a smart wearable to help stay on top of personal health management at home.
“I would highly [suggest] it. If you’re interested in knowing how far you walk and getting a certain amount of steps in, or health-wise, get one. I think that they’re really valuable, to me it is,” she says.
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