Best Practice Guidance
Human Interaction with Technology in Dementia

Recommendations

3.3

Implementation of technology in dementia care: facilitators & barriers

Successful implementation of technology in dementia care depends not merely on its effectiveness but also on other facilitating or impeding factors related to e.g. the personal living environment (privacy, autonomy and obtrusiveness); the outside world (stigma and human contact); design (personalisability, affordability and safety), and ethics on these subjects.  This section provides recommendations on the implementation of technology in everyday life, for meaningful activities, healthcare technology and technology promoting Social Health.
3.3.6
Social Health Domain 3: Technology to promote social participation
3.3.6.9

Before introducing pet robots in a long-term care facility, conduct stakeholder consensus discussions and assess organisational readiness

Guidance

Before introducing pet robots in a long-term care facility, consensus discussions among stakeholders, such as care professionals and managers, should be conducted, to discuss whether (and why) pet robots should or should not be introduced for residents with dementia. In addition, the facility’s readiness to introduce pet robots should be carefully considered.

Explanation and examples

In a modified Delphi study involving 56 international experts (care professionals, organisational leaders and researchers), experts agreed that these strategies are critical to support the implementation of pet robots in long-term care facilities. Consensus discussions should involve all care providers who may be directly or indirectly involved in the care of residents with dementia. Examples of discussions may include:

  • The importance of bringing in/using pet robots to address a chosen problem (e.g. to address residents’ needs or support care staff in their delivery of care for residents with dementia)
  • Appropriateness of using pet robots to address the problem(s), such as whether they align with workflows.

In addition, the organisation’s readiness to implement pet robots should also be assessed. Examples include:

  • Assessment of financial resources
  • Assessment of manpower and logistical resources (e.g. sufficient space and charging point).

Themes

Target groups

Type of evidence

Wei Qi Koh (DISTINCT ESR12)
Collaborator: Viktoria Hoel (DISTINCT ESR9)

Qualitative study, modified Delphi study

References

Koh, W.Q., Toomey, E., Flynn, A. & Casey, D. (2022). Determinants of implementing of pet robots in nursing homes for dementia care. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1), 457, 1-12. doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03150-z

Koh, W. Q., Casey, D., Hoel, V., & Toomey, E. (2022). Strategies for implementing pet robots in care homes and nursing homes for residents with dementia: protocol for a modified Delphi study. Implementation Science Communications, 3(1), 58, 1-10. doi.org/10.1186/s43058-022-00308-z

Koh, W. Q., Hoel, V., Casey, D., & Toomey, E. (2022). Strategies to Implement Pet Robots in Long-Term Care Facilities for Dementia Care: A Modified Delphi Study. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2022.09.010

Useful links

https://implementationsciencecomms.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s43058-022-00308-z

https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-03150-z

https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(22)00746-0/fulltext