Best Practice Guidance
Human Interaction with Technology in Dementia

Guidance

There are many considerations when planning to implement technological interventions. The issues can be grouped into context, implementationA set of planned, intentional activities that aim to put into practice evidence-informed policies and practices in real-world services (see www.implementation.eu) and mechanism of impact factors. Evidence from the FindMyApps project has identified, within these categories, specific factors that are important for successful implementationA set of planned, intentional activities that aim to put into practice evidence-informed policies and practices in real-world services (see www.implementation.eu) of a tablet-based intervention, such as FindMyApps. Potential tablet-users and care providers are advised to base their decisions on this evidence.

Explanation/examples:

The FindMyApps project compared the FindMyApps intervention to usual tablet use by community-dwelling people with mild cognitive impairmentMild cognitive impairment is a condition in which someone has minor problems with cognition - their mental abilities such as memory or thinking. (abbreviated to MCI) More (MCIMild cognitive impairment Mild cognitive impairment is a condition in which someone has minor problems with cognition - their mental abilities such as memory or thinking. More) or mild dementia. The following factors were identified as influencing the success of implementationA set of planned, intentional activities that aim to put into practice evidence-informed policies and practices in real-world services (see www.implementation.eu) of both the FindMyApps intervention and a standard tablet:

• Context:
  • People with MCIMild cognitive impairment Mild cognitive impairment is a condition in which someone has minor problems with cognition - their mental abilities such as memory or thinking. More/mild dementia who previously used a tablet are more likely to use the intervention. Intensive one-on-one support is recommended to those who have never used a tablet.
  • People with MCIMild cognitive impairment Mild cognitive impairment is a condition in which someone has minor problems with cognition - their mental abilities such as memory or thinking. More and younger people with MCIMild cognitive impairment Mild cognitive impairment is a condition in which someone has minor problems with cognition - their mental abilities such as memory or thinking. More/mild dementia may use the intervention more. Extra support is recommended for older people with dementia.
  • People experiencing apathy may benefit more from dementia-specific tablet programmes, such as FindMyApps, which provide easy access to selected apps, than from a standard tablet.
• ImplementationA set of planned, intentional activities that aim to put into practice evidence-informed policies and practices in real-world services (see www.implementation.eu):
  • People with slower Wi-Fi connections may find the tablet harder to use.
  • It is often feasible to provide support by telephone and/or video-call but face-to-face contact is more suitable for those who have never used a tablet before.
  • Few people use passive support, such as a telephone helpdesk. It is therefore recommended to pro-actively offer support to those who may need it (see above).
• Mechanisms of impact:
  • Tablet-use may support social contact and engagement in meaningful activities, more than instrumental activities of daily living. It is recommended to set personal goals accordingly.
  • Limitations of specific tablet-apps (e.g. pop-up advertising, requirements for user-accounts with passwords) should be considered.
  • The quality of tablet-use, seems more important for social health than the quantity (frequency of duration) of tablet use. Set personal goals and evaluate accordingly.