Factors supporting the use of technology in daily life of home-living people with dementia

Abstract

The study explores factors that facilitate the use of technology in daily life of people with dementia. An ethnographic approach was selected with open interviews, participant observation, field notes, a structured questionnaire for family members and four batteries of tests. The target group consisted of 25 people with dementia and their family carers in six communities in Finland. The main findings are: 1. A well-functioning social network is essential in integrating technology into daily life of people with dementia. The role of the significant others is to encourage, guide and receive alarms. 2. Timeliness is another important factor. Active technology is indicated in the early and to some degree in the moderate stage of dementia, after which passive technology is recommended. The period of crisis relating to onset of the syndrome is not an optimal time for intervention. 3. Attitudes and motivation of the affected persons and their social networks greatly affect the incorporation of technology in daily life. 4. Guidance is an important element in successful introduction of technology. All members of the network should participate and the guidance should be continual, repeated at suitable intervals.

Informal carers’ experience of assistive technology use in dementia care at home: a systematic review

“…Picture button telephone [46, 58, 75]/ Simple mobile phone [10, 48, 50, 69]/ Photo memory telephone [47]/Easy to use telephone [79]…”

“…Electronic medication reminder [46, 47, 75, 88]; electronic pill dispensers [10, 35, 59, 69, 82]/ Medicine dispenser with alarm [48, 50]/Medication organiser [81]…”

ICT-based applications to improve social health and social participation in older adults with dementia. A systematic literature review

“…In the articles analysed in this review, the technologies used for the alleviation of social isolation include among other electronic tagging (Astell, 2006), sensorised homes (Meiland et al, 2007) and the alternative use of regular computers, adapting their components to the needs of people with dementia (Astell et al, 2010;Riikonen et al, 2013). This variability, again, may magnify the challenges to use technologies by people with dementia and those who care for them (Astell et al, 2010) taking into account that most of the people living with dementia and their carers have no extensive experience using technology and that they have to learn how to manage most of the technological gadgets used in these interventions (Placencia, 2001).…”

“…Two other studies described the use of a touch screen computer (Astell et al, 2010;Nijhof, van Hoof, van Rijn, & van Gemert-Pijnen, 2013). One paper assessed the use of 29 different technological devices (Riikonen, Paavilainen, & Salo, 2013). Finally, a study assessed the use of television, radio and telephone in a technology-based leisure activity for people living with dementia (Nijhof et al, 2013).…”

“…Meiland et al (2007) focused on the needs from technology support for social contacts. Riikonen et al (2013) analysed the importance of the social network for the use of technology, and the effect of the technology in the attitude and personality of people with dementia. The study carried out by Brittain, Corner, Robinson, and Bond (2010) analysed how technology non-specifically designed for people with dementia could encourage them to participate in the society.…”