Best Practice Guidance
Human Interaction with Technology in Dementia

Recommendations

Practical, cognitive & social factors to improve usability of technology for people with dementia

Technologies are increasingly vital in today’s activities in homes and communities. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the consequences of the increasing complexity and reliance on them, for example, at home, in shops, traffic situations, meaningful activities and health care services. The users’ ability to manage products and services has been largely neglected or taken for granted. People with dementia often do not use the available technology because it does not match their needs and capacities. This section provides recommendations to improve the usability of technology used in daily life, for meaningful activities, in healthcare and in the context of promoting the Social Health of people with dementia.
Technology for meaningful activities

Optimising the process of prototyping and usability testing

Guidance

Gather feedback from people with dementia on working prototypes rather than paper prototypes.

Explanation and example

Work with Eumedianet and the systematic review indicated that people with dementia found it difficult to comment on paper prototypes as it did not provide them with enough knowledge on the future digital application.

Type of evidence

Harleen Rai (INDUCT ESR5)

Systematic review & development process of the iCST application

References

Rai, H. K., Cavalcanti Barroso, A., Yates, L., Schneider, J., & Orrell, M. Improving the involvement of people with dementia in developing technology–based interventions: a narrative synthesis review and best practice guidelines. JMIR 2020;22(12):e17531. https://doi.org/10.2196/17531

Rai, H. K., Schneider, J., & Orrell, M. An individual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (iCST) application for people with dementia: development and usability study of Thinkability. JMIR Aging 2020;3(2):e17105. https://doi.org/10.2196/17105