Consider involving occupational therapists to enable people with dementia to use everyday technology
Guidance
Consider involving occupational therapists in providing interventions that enable people with dementia to use the everyday information and communication technologies they have.
Explanation and Examples
A standardized questionnaire mapped how many Everyday Information & Communication Technologies (EICTEveryday Information Communication Technologies Commonplace information communication technologies and their functions that most people would agree are widely available in homes and society. e.g. make a call from a mobile phone, receive a mobile phone call, games on a smartphone, internet banking on a tablet computer etc.) (maximum 31) were relevant to 35 people living with dementia and 34 people with no known cognitive impairment in Sweden. A relevant EICTEveryday Information Communication Technologies Commonplace information communication technologies and their functions that most people would agree are widely available in homes and society. e.g. make a call from a mobile phone, receive a mobile phone call, games on a smartphone, internet banking on a tablet computer etc. is one that is being used, or has been used in the past, or is planned for use in future. The median amount of relevant EICTs was shown to be 11 in the group without dementia, and 7 (significantly less) in the group with dementia. Each person also rated their ability to use (maximum 90) relevant Everyday TechnologiesCommonplace technologies that most people would agree are widely available in homes and society. e.g. Microwave, television, ATM, ticket machine, elevator/lift, smartphone etc. (ETs) on a 5 step rating scale. This data was analysed (in a Rasch model) to produce a score for each person’s ability to use ET. When we compared ability to use ET with amount of relevant ETs in each group, the more EICTs a person counts as relevant, the higher was their ability to use ET. This pattern was only found in the group of people with dementia, and not the group without. The amount of relevant EICTs is affected by a person’s ability to use them. So some people may need support to identify the usefulness and possibility to use an EICTEveryday Information Communication Technologies Commonplace information communication technologies and their functions that most people would agree are widely available in homes and society. e.g. make a call from a mobile phone, receive a mobile phone call, games on a smartphone, internet banking on a tablet computer etc. function that they have access to.
Themes
Activities of daily living Everyday life Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Occupational therapy
Target groups
Commissioners Digital inclusion planners Health & social care planners Occupational therapy educators & organizations PolicymakersType of evidence
Cross sectional quantitative study with literature review
References
Wallcook, S., Malinowsky, C., Kottorp, A. & Nygård, L. The use of Everyday Information Communication Technologies in the lives of older adults living with and without dementia in Sweden, Assistive Technology, 33:6, 333-340. doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2019.1644685
As training manager of INDUCT, I am responsible for the overall coordination and organization of the individual and network-wide training of our 15 ESRs. My main task is the organization of five INDUCT Summer and Winter Schools. Together with the local and management team, we identify needs and interests among the ESRs, compose a varied program for the week including training sessions, project meetings and social and networking events, invite academic and non-academic expert speakers, organize practical matters, and afterwards we evaluate the event, write a report, and try to incorporate all suggestions in our future training events.