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.
3.1.4
Social Health Domain 1: Fulfill ones potential and obligations
3.1.4.5

Dementia associations providing information on advance care planning on their websites should not only address legal and medical information, but also provide practical communication guidance

Guidance

Dementia associations’ websites are an ideal place to provide advance care planning information to a wide public. If information about advance care planning is provided, dementia associations should ensure balanced content. Websites should address not only legal and medical information, but also practical guidance on how to engage in and communicate about advance care planning.

Explanation/examples:

Advance care planning is a process that enables individuals to define goals and preferences for their future care. As people with dementia have a high risk of cognitive decline, advance care planning is important. Many people use the internet to find health information. Some of the most consulted sources to search for specific information about dementia are the websites of dementia associations. We conducted a content analysis of dementia associations’ websites in Europe regarding advance care planning information. We included 26 dementia associations’ websites from 20 countries and one European association, covering 12 languages. Ten websites did not mention advance care planning. The information on the remaining 16 varied in terms of themes addressed and amount of information. Legal and medical themes were prominent, while other key advance care planning themes such as communication with family, communication with health professionals, sharing of decisions and the identification of personal values and life goals seem largely to be under-addressed. This is an important gap, given that the drafting of advance directives should be preceded by a process of communication between the person with dementia, their family and their healthcare providers.

Themes

Target groups

Type of evidence

Fanny Monnet (DISTINCT ESR3)

Content analysis of dementia associations’ websites

References

Monnet, F., Pivodic, L., Dupont, C., Dröes, R.M., & Van den Block, L. (2022). Information on advance care planning on websites of dementia associations in Europe: A content analysis. Aging & Mental Health, 1–11.

https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2022.2146051