Matching user needs to technology in dementia care: experiences with the Alma Supervisor Educational Program

Abstract

The number of individuals with dementia in Norway is more than 78,000, and, as in all other European countries, this figure is expected to rise over the coming decades. The Norwegian Health Directorate encourages municipalities to make use of 'welfare technology' in order to contribute to independent living and quality of life in older adults, to increase the quality of community health care, to save time when providing community health services and to reduce costs, e.g. admission to a nursing home. Introducing welfare technology to care recipients requires innovation on the part of the community health care service with regard to increasing the competency of the staff in the operation of the technologies, as well as in establishing an infrastructure for 'digital communication'. Research has shown that access to assistive technology may support individuals with mild cognitive impairments, as well as in an early phase of dementia. However, it is crucial that the technology addresses an identified need, and that the device is tailored to the person's preferences and context. Therefore, it is important to train health professionals to assess the user's needs and preferences and to identify resources and limitations in the particular context. Alma's House in Oslo is a demonstration site and education center for welfare technologies. The education program for the certification of Alma supervisors has become an important strategy in educating occupational therapists (OTs) and nurses on how to assess user needs, identify appropriate technology and implement this into the care recipient's home.

User involvement in the implementation of welfare technology in home care services: The experience of health professionals—A qualitative study

“…In‐depth knowledge of patients and their needs can be crucial in terms of assigning the right service to the right patient. It can also be important, for example, to identify increased cognitive failure and evaluate when patients are no longer able to handle the technology, as pointed out in this study, as well as by Morley and Floridi (2019), and Holte and Wulff‐Jacobsen (2016). Technologies that are thought to be beneficial and to enhance safety might, in fact, not be suitable if the patient is not getting the help he or she needs, as demonstrated by Stokke (2017).…”

‘They just came with the medication dispenser’- a qualitative study of elderly service users’ involvement and welfare technology in public home care services

“…For example, one of the participants was happy about using a medication dispenser but said that, if she had the choice, she would still prefer to have a person come with the medication, because of loneliness. Reduced visits can also be challenging for health professionals as regards identifying whether, for example, a service user’s cognitive function is decreasing, and evaluating whether service users can no longer handle the technology, as pointed out in another study [ 67 ].…”

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

“…Co-creating AT with users has steadily improved over time. Carers need to be involved in the design and testing of AT solutions and in prioritising the problems that need to be addressed to allow AT to be accepted as a solution for caring for people living with dementia in the community [121, 122].…”