Best Practice Guidance
Human Interaction with Technology in Dementia

Recommendations

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.

Technology for meaningful activities

Optimising the process of prototyping and usability testing

Guidance

Gather feedback from people with dementia on working prototypes rather than paper prototypes.

Explanation and example

Work with Eumedianet and the systematic review indicated that people with dementia found it difficult to comment on paper prototypes as it did not provide them with enough knowledge on the future digital application.

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Creating a suitable user experience and design

Guidance

When developing new digital applications, ensure you generate an optimal user experience and focus on sophisticated design including clear signposting and, an easy and intuitive navigation.

Explanation and example

People using the iCST app valued the sophisticated, mature design and the clear navigation but noted the need for clearer buttons. The design should have a highly professional look and feel and be clearly orientated to adults not children.

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Everyday fluctuations

Guidance

Consider using smartphone-based experience sampling apps to measure everyday fluctuations of variables such as mood, behaviors, or cognition in people with mild cognitive impairments or carers of people with dementia to better understand variations in daily experiences.

Explanation and examples

The ‘Partner in Sight’ intervention for carers of people with dementia, the ‘Monitor-Mi’ study (feasibility of the experience sampling method (ESM) in people with MCI), and the development of two cognitive tasks (mDSST; mVSWMT), all included the experience sampling method (ESM). These studies are first steps towards a better understanding of and support for people with cognitive impairments, such as MCI or dementia, and their carers in everyday life.

The results indicate positive effects on carers’ well-being, feasibility of using the ESM in people with MCI, and internal validity when assessing momentary cognition in healthy older individuals. The experience sampling method has a high ecological validity with a reduced memory bias, allows to see fluctuations, and uncovers a complex picture of affect, behaviour, and other variables in everyday life. It can be used to increase awareness of own daily patterns and motivate behavioural changes towards more meaningful activities.

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Assessing the Ability to Use Everyday Technologies by self-perceived reports as well as observations

Guidance

To understand the ability of the elderly with cognitive impairments to use everyday technology observe the interaction but also ask about their views.

Explanation and examples

Via an observation (guided by the META), the person-technology interaction can be described in detail, e.g. does the person press buttons/the screen with an adequate force or are steps performed in a logical order. This can help to determine which elements of a specific technology are causing problems and might be particularly useful for designing intervention and the development of technology. Through a self-perceived report (S-ETUQ), the individual can reflect on a wider range of technologies and the impact of technology use to perform well in (in relation to) everyday life can be depicted. For example, if someone has problems using the ticket machine for public transport or the ATM, this might impact participating in society; if the individual has problems with using the dishwasher or vacuum cleaner, this might impact the hygiene and well-being at home.

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