Enhancing communication and autonomy in dementia through technology: Navigating home challenges and memory aid usage
Alyssia A. Sanchez*, Joy Lai, Bing Ye, Alex Mihailidis
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AbstractBackground: As dementia prevalence rises, people living with dementia (PLwDs) and their caregivers encounter complex challenges within home environments. This study focuses on understanding and addressing these challenges while emphasizing memory aid usage. By adopting a user-centered approach, we navigate existing memory aid limitations to create more effective, tailored solutions for dementia care.
Objective: To investigate and co-design innovative assistive memory technologies, the primary research question being addressed is: how can the development and implementation of a reminder system address the multifaceted challenges faced by PLwDs and their caregivers?
Method: By conducting a qualitative analysis through in-depth interviews and prototype demonstrations of a reminder system with dyads of PLwDs and their caregivers, our research facilitated a co-design process by delving into home environment challenges, adaptive strategies, memory aid usage, and opportunities for improvement. The study employed a qualitative methodology to extract valuable insights that inform the development of innovative assistive memory technologies.
Results: Findings revealed multifaceted challenges faced by PLwDs and their coping strategies in daily activities, emphasizing the need for tailored memory aids. Participants expressed preferences for various interaction methods, sizes, and functionalities of reminder units, including digital reminders, smartphone apps, and specialized software. The study revealed that factors such as openness to adopting new technologies and related preferences exhibited notable variations linked to the demographic characteristics of the participants. Noteworthy trends emerged in relation to characteristics such as age, household income, and the severity of dementia. Furthermore, insights obtained from the demonstration of a prototype, showcasing its functionality and user-friendly interface, provided valuable feedback for refining the reminder system. Preliminary outcomes suggested the potential for improvements in both autonomy and communication among PLwDs.
Conclusion: This research contributes valuable insights into the development of assistive memory technologies to enhance autonomy and communication for PLwDs. By bridging gaps in current memory aid usage, our study informs the development of innovative assistive technologies that can significantly impact the quality of life for PLwDs and their caregivers.Keywords: Dementia, assistive technology, reminder systems, home environments, memory aids
Alyssia A. Sanchez*, Joy Lai, Bing Ye, Alex Mihailidis (2024). Enhancing communication and autonomy in dementia through technology: Navigating home challenges and memory aid usage. Gerontechnology, 23(1), 1-11
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2024.23.1.880.06