Best Practice Guidance
Human Interaction with Technology in Dementia

Recommendations

3.1

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.
3.1.3
Health care technologies
3.1.3.7

Consider user-centred design in the development of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation programs for people with dementia

Guidance

User-centered design should be considered in the development of any technology or computer-based program for cognitive rehabilitation in people with dementia.

Explanation and Examples

User-centered design is a methodology applied in the development of programs or new technologies for cognitive rehabilitation in people with dementia. This design takes into account the target population from the beginning to the end of the development process, with the aim of investigating their needs and expectations, developing a prototype that meets these needs and evaluating the final prototype based on usability and user experience criteria.

Themes

Target groups

Type of evidence

Angie Alejandra Diaz Baquero (INDUCT ESR15)

Systematic literature review.

References

Diaz Baquero, A. A., Dröes, R. M., Perea Bartolomé, M. V., Irazoki, E., Toribio-Guzmán, J. M., Franco-Martín, M. A., & van der Roest, H. (2021). Methodological Designs Applied in the Development of Computer-Based Training Programs for the Cognitive Rehabilitation in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Mild Dementia. Systematic Review. Journal of clinical medicine, 10(6), 1222. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10061222.