Technology-Mediated Enrichment in Aged Care: Survey and Interview Study

Waycott, Jenny; Zhao, Wei; Kelly, Ryan; Robertson, Elena

doi:10.2196/31162

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…While there is a growing body of literature on the use of assistive technologies in LTC, the experiences of older adults around mediated connectedness (facilitated interaction between residents and caregivers by using technology) are sparsely evaluated (Beneito‐Montagut & Begueria, 2021). Many studies exploring the use of technology to enrich older adult care have noted its potential to provide agency and meaningful experiences for those living in LTC, but this is difficult to implement in practice due to, among other factors, limited resources and organisational support (Waycott et al, 2022). Our findings demonstrated the mediating role that assistive technology like Tochie can play in promoting connections between older adults, families and staff in long‐term care (LTC) settings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘I want him to tell me he loves me’: A smart audio device, Tochie, for resident‐family connection in long‐term care

Hung

Yang

Lin

et al. 2023

Int J Older People Nursing

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Background Older people living in long‐term care homes are particularly susceptible to loneliness and social isolation, which the COVID‐19 pandemic has exacerbated further. ‘Tochie’ is a smart audio device that allows family members to remotely record and send messages, such as daily reminders and comforting recordings, to their loved ones in LTC settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using Tochie to improve resident‐family connections, and to investigate user experience, impact and lessons learned. Methods Participants included 10 residents, nine family members and six care staff from two LTC homes in British Columbia, Canada. A Tochie was provided to each resident to use with their family members over a 4‐week intervention period. The research team provided support and gathered feedback from family members and care staff through weekly phone and email correspondence. Qualitative descriptive design was used, including pre‐ and post‐intervention focus groups and interviews held via Zoom and phone to gather participants' experiences with Tochie. Themes were identified through thematic analysis. Results Three themes were identified: (1) Facilitating emotional connection, (2) Using the device in creative and personalised ways and (3) Structural challenges and supports. Based on these findings, recommendations for future research and practice are provided. Conclusion The COVID‐19 pandemic has prompted a rethinking of what it means to ‘stay in touch’ with loved ones in LTC settings. This study found that Tochie has opened up new opportunities for family connection and provided emotional support for residents. The results of this study offer valuable insights into the implementation of assistive technology in LTC homes to support resident care.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘I want him to tell me he loves me’: A smart audio device, Tochie, for resident‐family connection in long‐term care

Hung

Yang

Lin

et al. 2023

Int J Older People Nursing

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“…It has been suggested by findings of a recent study that using a person-centered care approach to engage older adults with technology is crucial in creating meaningful technology-mediated enrichment experiences for them [ 35 ]. The TLP framework supports this approach as it aims to implement fundamentally person-focused TLPs, hence the framework for person-centered care was chosen as the template [ 16 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing Technology Literacy Programs in Retirement Homes and Residential Care Facilities: Conceptual Framework

Li¹,

Nagallo²,

McDonald³

et al. 2022

JMIR Aging

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Background The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread societal disruption, with governmental stay-at-home orders resulting in people connecting more via technology rather than in person. This shift had major impacts on older adult residents staying in retirement homes and residential care facilities, where they may lack the technology literacy needed to stay connected. The enTECH Computer Club from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada created a knowledge translation toolkit to support organizations interested in starting technology literacy programs (TLPs) by providing guidance and practical tips. Objective This paper aimed to present a framework for implementing TLPs in retirement homes and residential care facilities through expanding on the knowledge translation toolkit and the framework for person-centered care. Methods Major concepts relating to the creation of a TLP in retirement homes and residential care facilities were extracted from the enTECH knowledge translation toolkit. The domains from the framework for person-centered care were modified to fit a TLP context. The concepts identified from the toolkit were sorted into the three framework categories: “structure,” “process,” and “outcome.” Information from the knowledge translation toolkit were extracted into the three categories and synthesized to form foundational principles and potential actions. Results All 13 domains from the framework for person-centered care were redefined to shift the focus on TLP implementation, with 7 domains under “structure,” 4 domains under “process,” and 2 domains under “outcome.” Domains in the “structure” category focus on developing an organizational infrastructure to deliver a successful TLP; 10 foundational principles and 25 potential actions were identified for this category. Domains in the “process” category focus on outlining procedures taken by stakeholders involved to ensure a smooth transition from conceptualization into action; 12 foundational principles and 9 potential actions were identified for this category. Domains in the “outcome” category focus on evaluating the TLP to consider making any improvements to better serve the needs of older adults and staff; 6 foundational principles and 6 potential actions were identified for this category. Conclusions Several domains and their foundational principles and potential actions from the TLP framework were found to be consistent with existing literatures that encourage taking active steps to increase technology literacy in older adults. Although there may be some limitations to the components of the framework with the current state of the pandemic, starting TLPs in the community can yield positive outcomes that will be beneficial to both older adult participants and the organization in the long term.

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“…We used a semistructured interview guide, with an initial set of open-ended questions that enabled participants to share their personal experiences (see Multimedia Appendix 1 for the questions). The interview questions were developed as a team, drawing on our collective experience of research on digital communication technologies [ 51 , 52 ], older adults [ 53 , 54 ], and aged care [ 29 , 55 ]. The researcher took notes during the interviews and asked follow-up questions to probe responses in detail.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, the pandemic was perhaps the first time that video calling was deployed en masse in care homes. There have been studies illustrating the benefits of video calls for aged care residents, including positive impacts on social connection [ 28 ], emotional enrichment [ 29 ], and feelings of depression and loneliness among residents [ 30 ]. However, many such studies have involved short-term trials coordinated by research teams in which residents used video calls with relatives who could not visit the care home [ 28 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Video Calls as a Replacement for Family Visits During Lockdowns in Aged Care: Interview Study With Family Members

Kelly¹,

Xing²,

Baker³

et al. 2023

JMIR Aging

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Background Lockdowns have been used to prevent the spread of transmissible illnesses such as influenza, norovirus, and COVID-19 in care homes. However, lockdowns deny care home residents supplemental care and the socioemotional enrichment that comes from seeing family members. Video calling has the potential to enable ongoing contact between residents and family members during lockdowns. However, video calls can be considered by some as a poor substitute for in-person visits. It is important to understand family members’ experiences with video calling during lockdowns to ensure the effective use of this technology in the future. Objective This study aimed to understand how family members use video calls to communicate with relatives living in aged care during lockdowns. We focused on experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, which involved extensive lockdowns in aged care homes. Methods We conducted semistructured interviews with 18 adults who had been using video calls with relatives living in aged care during pandemic lockdowns. The interviews focused on how participants had been using video calls, what benefits they gained from video-based interactions, and what challenges they encountered when using the technology. We analyzed the data using the 6-phase reflexive approach to thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke. Results We developed 4 themes through our analysis. Theme 1 interprets video calling as a medium for the continuation of care during lockdowns. Using video calls, family members were able to provide social enrichment for residents and engaged in health monitoring to uphold residents’ welfare. Theme 2 highlights how video calling extended care by supporting frequent contact, transmitting nonverbal cues that were essential for communication, and negating the need for face masks. Theme 3 interprets organizational issues such as the lack of technology and staff time as impediments to the continuation of familial care through video. Finally, theme 4 highlights the need for 2-way communication, interpreting residents’ unfamiliarity with video calling and their health conditions as further barriers to the continuation of care. Conclusions This study suggests that, during restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, video calls became a medium for enabling family members to continue participating in the care of their relatives. The use of video calls to continue care illustrates their value for families during times of mandatory lockdown and supports the use of video to complement face-to-face visits at other times. However, better support is needed for video calling in aged care homes. This study also revealed a need for video calling systems that are designed for the aged care context.

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Technology-Mediated Enrichment in Aged Care: Survey and Interview Study

Cited by 14 publications

References 50 publications

‘I want him to tell me he loves me’: A smart audio device, Tochie, for resident‐family connection in long‐term care

‘I want him to tell me he loves me’: A smart audio device, Tochie, for resident‐family connection in long‐term care

Implementing Technology Literacy Programs in Retirement Homes and Residential Care Facilities: Conceptual Framework

Video Calls as a Replacement for Family Visits During Lockdowns in Aged Care: Interview Study With Family Members

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