Technology in everyday life
Guidance
Providers and marketers of ST should not communicate a wanderer with dementia discourse. Rather they should focus on useful person-centred products and communicate this in a non-stigmatising way towards family carers and people living with dementia in order to provide empowering products.
Explanations and examples
Surveillance Technology (ST), such as GPS tracking devices are used as a resilience tool to increase the safety and independence of people with dementia that portray people with dementia to sell such technologies in a way that encourages stereotypes and contribute to a misunderstanding of dementia. This in turn could also impact technology development. This qualitative research undertook three studies of production (who made what), audience reception (what do users need) and textual analysis (what media techniques are used to attract attention) focused on the UK, Sweden and the Netherlands. The production study examined 242 websites that sell ST and a wanderer discourse with dementia was found. These websites give minimum representation of people with dementia using technology but represent overburdened younger-female carers, who are in need for a locating safety product to covertly use for wandering people with dementia, children and pets. Relying on stereotypes and “not so useful” technology will hinder resilience for people with dementia. Rather, it may imply the continuous stigmatisation that occurs when people with dementia are stereotyped and disregarded as human technology users.
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Guidance
Public health policy should more fully consider the undesired side effects of dementia prevention technologies and discourses which may reinforce the fear of dementia and imply a moral responsibility on people who cannot maintain cognition in later life due to the progression of the condition.
Explanation and Examples
A review of the literature shows there is little evidence for the effectiveness of brain training to prevent dementia. Furthermore, ethnographic research has generated evidence that engagement with it can act as a form of social exclusion by separating older people into those who have ‘successfully cognitively aged’ and those who have not. Indeed, the promotion of this technology implies an individual responsibility to stay cognitively healthy, implicitly reinforcing anxiety and blame around the condition and people who live with it. These side effects can reinforce the exclusion of people with the condition.
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Guidance
Public transport providers and policy-makers should be more aware of barriers to access and consider adaptations to enable better accessibility for people with cognitive issues or disabilities living with dementia.
Explanation and Examples
Everyday Technologies are required to access public transport (e.g. ticket machines, GPS, travel updates on smartphones). Research from the UK and Sweden explored how access to public transport can enable or disable a person’s ability to participate in places and activities, within public space. The UK study involved 64 older people with dementia and 64 older people with no known cognitive impairment. The Swedish study included 35 older people with dementia and 34 older people with no known cognitive impairment. Transportation centres were one of the places most frequently abandoned over time by the Swedish group of people with dementia. In both the Swedish and UK samples, compared with people without dementia significantly fewer people with dementia were drivers, so may have increased need to use public transport. Research shows they face increased barriers to using the Everyday Technologies that are required to access those services. The research is supported by consultations that were performed across London with community-based groups of older people with and without dementia, and the European Working Group of People with Dementia. The consultations revealed not only physical but also cognitive barriers to using Everyday Technologies to access public transport.
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Guidance
Service providers should counter the stigmatising effect of not having access to, or not being a skilled user of, Everyday Technologies, for people with dementia and consider strategies to enhance participation, providing offline and online choices for all public services.
Explanation and Examples
Interviews were performed with 128 older people with and without dementia in the UK, and 69 people with and without dementia in Sweden. In both the UK and Swedish studies, people with dementia reported significantly lower use of Everyday Technologies compared to older people without dementia. People with dementia also reported significantly lower participation in places and activities within public space. Reduced ability to use Everyday Technologies was linked to reduced participation in places visited and activities within public space for people with dementia. Community-based consultations with older people with and without dementia across London showed that Everyday Technologies can provide opportunities to participate in services, e.g. eHealth and online banking. However, without face-to-face or written options (e.g. offline), people with dementia are at risk of stigma associated with digital exclusion. Barriers to participation in their everyday lives can lead to social isolation.
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Guidance
Technology developers should be aware that the challenge of using everyday information communication technologies can be high for older adults, including some people with dementia. They should use inclusive design that addresses cognitive useability to reduce the level of challenge so that more people with cognitive impairments can use ICTs.
Explanation and Examples
A standardized questionnaire investigated how 35 people living with dementia and 34 people with no known cognitive impairment in Sweden perceived their ability to use 90 ETs on a 5 step rating scale. This data was analysed (in a Rasch model) to produce a challenge measure for each of the 31 EICTs, showing how difficult or easy they were to use. Landline telephone was the easiest EICT to use. Scores for smartphone functions (make calls, receive calls, alarm, camera) were at the easier end of the challenge hierarchy and comparable to (or lower than) the challenge of the same functions on a push button mobile phone. These smartphone functions were less relevant to the group of people with dementia than the group without. Using a computer for the full range of functions (shopping, banking, email etc.) scored in the top half of the challenge of the hierarchy and using a tablet to search the web was most difficult. No other tablet functions (i.e. banking, email) could be scored since not enough people considered those functions relevant. Several smartphone functions (i.e. game, social media, transaction) could not be scored for the same reason
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Technology for meaningful activities
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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Health care technologies
Guidance
User-centered design should be considered in the development of any technology or computer-based program for cognitive rehabilitation in people with dementia.
Explanation and Examples
User-centered design is a methodology applied in the development of programs or new technologies for cognitive rehabilitation in people with dementia. This design takes into account the target population from the beginning to the end of the development process, with the aim of investigating their needs and expectations, developing a prototype that meets these needs and evaluating the final prototype based on usability and user experience criteria.
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Social Health Domain 1: Fulfill ones potential and obligations
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.
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Social Health Domain 3: Technology to promote social participation
Guidance
Technological interventions aiming to promote social participation among older adults (with and without dementia) should incorporate a social interaction element.
Explanation and Examples
The number of people with dementia who live in the community and are socially isolated is growing. Social isolation can negatively affect health and well-being. Therefore, psychosocial interventions are needed to promote the social participation of people with dementia living in the community. A systematic literature review was conducted to explore the effects of technological interventions on the social participation of older adults with and without dementia. Findings from 36 studies suggest that technological interventions that include a social interaction element (e.g. face-to-face contact, phone calls, text messages) are successful in promoting social participation among older adults. Examples are group interventions that provide regular interactions within a group, or interventions that enable to connect and communicate with other people (e.g. family, friends, or other older adults).
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Guidance
The design of some existing pet robots for people with dementia do not sufficiently consider their preferences. For example, while some pet robots are designed to resemble unfamiliar animals such as a dinosaur or seal, people with dementia seem to prefer more familiarly designed pets, such as domestic animals like cats and dogs. As little research has been done into pet robot design preferences of people with dementia further investigation is needed.
Explanation and Examples
One of the most researched and used pet robots in dementia care is PARO, a robotic baby harp seal. The developer of PARO anticipated that users are likely to be more accepting of PARO, since they are less likely to have experiences and expectations of a seal. However, Bradwell and colleagues found that older adults including people with dementia have expressed a preference for familiar animals such as cats and dogs. A qualitative study uncovered similar findings – Care providers in nursing homes expressed that residents with dementia may prefer and react better to familiar animals. In line with a person-centred approach to care, the use of pet robots should account for the preferences and needs of people with dementia. However, there is a lack of studies that have explicitly investigated such design preferences. More studies are necessary to bridge this gap.
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Guidance
To successfully integrate social robotic platforms in community-based dementia care, such as Meeting Centres for people with dementia and carers and daycare centres, their features and applications need to be tailored to the needs and preferences of the end-users, the dynamics of group interactions, and the Meeting Centres’ activity policies and settings.
Explanation and Examples:
Research through focus groups and interviews with stakeholders on potential facilitators and barriers in the implementation of the social robot MINI indicated that for a successful implementation of social robots in Meeting Centres and daycare centres for people with dementia, it is expected to be crucial for social robot designers and developers to consider the following recommendations to guide the design of the robotic platform:
- Evaluate the needs and preferences of the participants of Meeting Centre. Qualitative research with end-users and care professionals is essential before and during the robot development phase. This will ensure the acceptance and usefulness of the robot in such contexts.
- Given the preference for group activities in Meeting Centres over individual activities, it is crucial to integrate the robot into a group setting so that it can interact with multiple users. For example, a multi-player game could allow two or more individuals to interact with a social robot at the same time.
- Avoid designing games and quiz-like activities for use on social robots to avoid, in line with the activity policy of Meeting Centres, confronting persons with dementia with their shortcomings in activities that have high cognitive and memory function demands. Instead, fun, enjoyable, and relaxing applications and games would be most appealing and beneficial.
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Technology for meaningful activities
Guidance
Pilot studies should be conducted to help inform and reduce technical problems and improve accuracy prior to evaluating the effectiveness of new tablet interventions
Explanation and example
Our feasibility study of FindMyApps, a digital programme helping people with dementia to find useful apps for self-management and meaningful activities, showed that when people experienced technical problems they were sometimes not able to provide useful feedback about FindMyApps. For instance, some participants did not use the intervention anymore after they encountered technical problems. Even though a development and pilot study were conducted technical problems still occurred, such as: apps not being available anymore, explanation videos which did not work, personal settings not being saved, the button to go back being difficult to find, and links that did not work. To ensure that technical problems are resolved timely and do not interact with the evaluation of the tablet intervention, it is important to monitor for technical barriers by regular contact with people using the intervention in evaluation studies.
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Guidance
When evaluating the benefits of technological interventions for people with dementia and their carers it is recommended to conduct a process evaluation to understand the possible influence of contextual, implementation and mechanisms of impact factors that may have influenced the intervention outcomes. This will also provide useful information on the conditions for successful implementation of the intervention.
Explanation and example
In our randomised controlled exploratory pilot trial into the FindMyApps programme, a tablet-based selection tool and training to help people with dementia to find apps for better self-management and meaningful activities, we conducted a process evaluation based on the British Medical Research Council’s (MRC) guidance for process evaluation of complex interventions (Moore et al., 2015).
This framework highlights the possible influence that contextual, implementation and mechanisms of impact factors may have on intervention outcomes. The process evaluation in the FindMyApps study provided very relevant information. For instance, with regard to contextual factors we found that it is important that the person with dementia has someone who is easy to approach and who can help them in case of practical problems, and that a helpdesk is in place for more complicated questions and technical problems.
With regard to implementation, it proved important to check if and how much a participant had experience in working with technological devices, and to adapt their training accordingly. Additionally, it proved necessary to personalise the approach to a participants’ awareness of their deficits. This was largely because some people with dementia had a more accurate understanding of their abilities and limitations with respect to their deficits than others. With regard to mechanisms of impact, we found that users who regularly practiced and who’s caregivers helped them by means of the errorless learning method learned to use FindMyApps easier than users who practiced less and who’s caregivers were less active in guiding them by using errorless learning.
This information is not only relevant for the outcome evaluation, but also to get insight into conditions for successful implementation of FindMyApps.
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Guidance
People with dementia can have difficulty finding apps for self-management, meaningful activities and social participation that match their needs, interests and abilities. A tool that helps them find such apps is therefore recommended.
Explanation and example
People with dementia often experience unmet needs in their self-management, meaningful activities and social participation. Apps and technological interventions can potentially help them fulfil these needs and also decrease the burden for caregivers.
The last decade many apps have been developed that can support people with dementia in managing daily life, engaging in activities and staying in touch with their social network. However, people with dementia may have difficulty finding apps that match their needs, interests and abilities, FindMyApps is a selection tool that aims to help people find, download and use apps for self-management and meaningful activities, which are dementia-friendly and meet their needs, interests and capabilities.
A randomized controlled exploratory trial into the effectiveness of FindMyApps showed that people with dementia who were offered this tool more frequently downloaded and used apps for self-management and meaningful activities than people who did not have access to this tool. This confirmed the usefulness of the tool. Therefore, a tool such as FindMyApps is recommended for people with dementia and their caregivers to ease the search for suitable apps.
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Guidance
When persons with dementia use technology for meaningful activities this may not only impact their own quality of life but also the well-being of their (primary) family carers.
Explanation and example
In the exergaming project, people with dementia were engaged in an exergaming activity or activities as usual in day care centres. We studied the effects on persons with dementia as well as on their family carers. In carers, positive effects were found in favour of the exergaming intervention, i.e. on the carers’ distress related to their relative’s neuropsychiatric symptoms and the carers’ sense of competence (after a three months intervention period).
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Health care technologies
Guidance
When evaluating adherence of people with dementia to a computer-based cognitive rehabilitation program, sociodemographic, cognitive, and psychological factors should be taken into account.
Explanation and example
When we consider evaluating the adherence of people with dementia to a computer-based program for cognitive rehabilitation, it is important to consider sociodemographic (age, sex, educational level), cognitive (memory, attention, executive function) and psychological factors (level of motivation, expectations, previous computer use).
For this purpose, a periodic evaluation will help to evaluate these factors and their relation to the amount and the time that a person spends in using a computer program for cognitive rehabilitation. In this way, significant modifications could be made to the program, so that the program meets the needs of people with dementia.
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Social Health Domain 3: Technology to promote social participation
Guidance
Make clear how you define the outcome of social participation and assess different dimensions of this multidimensional concept when evaluating the effects of social technology on social participation.
Explanation and examples
A systematic review was conducted to gain insight into the effects of technological interventions on the social participation of older adults. A total of 36 studies was included in a narrative synthesis. A major finding was the inconsistent use of terms and concepts related to social participation among studies. Future studies should make the applied definition of social participation explicit to allow for comparison of research results.
Furthermore, a majority of the included studies measured one specific dimension of social participation, i.e: social connections (e.g. by measuring loneliness or social isolation). However, social participation is a multidimensional concept. It is not only about social connections, but also about being engaged in meaningful activities that provide social interaction with others in the community (Levasseur et al., 2010). So far, there is no outcome measure that covers all dimensions of social participation. Therefore, it is recommended to combine quantitative outcome measures with qualitative data collection methods when assessing the effect(s) of technology on social participation. In the future, research should focus on developing and validating an outcome measure that covers different dimensions of social participation.
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Guidance
Low-cost pet robots demonstrate the potential to positively impact the psychosocial health of people with dementia and their caregivers. Due to their lower cost, they may be more accessible and affordable and should therefore be considered for use in dementia care.
Explanation and examples
Although pet robots have demonstrated positive impacts on the wellbeing of people with dementia, their affordability can impede their uptake in dementia care. A scoping review, content analysis of consumer reviews and a qualitative study showed that the impacts of low-cost pet robots on people with dementia resembled the effects of other higher costed (but more advanced) pet robots. These included improved mood, companionship, increased activity engagement and reduced anxiety. Caregivers also experienced knock-on effects, such as feelings of joy and relief. Low-cost pet robots are more widely accessible to the public since they can be purchased off-the-shelf. While promising, findings of their positive impacts are subject to bias. More rigorous studies are necessary to confirm their impacts.
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Technology in everyday life
Guidance
Technology companies and developers should involve more diverse groups of people living with dementia or caring for people with dementia, in all stages of design, development and implementation of technologies. They should also consider existing contexts before introducing them.
Explanation and Examples
Consultations explored the ways in which Everyday Technology can be both an enabler and disabler, among people living with dementia, or providing care for people with dementia, from minority and migrant communities within the EU (Germany and Greece). The consultations highlighted the need for more contextually-relevant Everyday Technologies. This includes consideration of existing contexts before introducing technologies or technology interventions e.g. eHealth, finance or social apps. Consultees reported the need to identify existing levels of access and ability to use Everyday Technologies (e.g. possession of technological devices and digital literacy etc.) as well as access to infrastructures to support their use (e.g. internet connection, battery charging facilities and face-to-face support). Everyday Technology use is influenced by contextual and cultural factors. Technology companies and developers need to involve a more diverse group of people living with dementia or caring for people with dementia (e.g. from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, urban and rural environments etc.) throughout all stages of technology development.
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Technology for meaningful activities
Guidance
To develop an eHealth intervention for caregivers of people with dementia that will be used in practice, developers should investigate the needs of the target population (people with dementia and their caregivers), and the needs of the people who will be implementing these interventions after a trial phase (such as case managers, hospital workers, volunteers or professionals associated with advocacy groups).
Explanation and examples
A systematic search was conducted into the implementation of studies including the terms ‘dementia’, ‘eHealth’, and ‘caregivers’. 2524 abstracts and 122 full texts were read, resulting in 46 studies meeting all criteria. Containing 204 statements on implementation. Most implementation statements could be grouped into 2 main themes: ‘Determinants associated with the eHealth intervention’ and ‘Determinants associated with the caregiver’. Very few statements were in the themes ‘Determinants associated with the implementing organization’ and ‘Determinants associated with the wider context’. Absence of knowledge on the contextual environment creates significant difficulties for health system planners and implementers who aim to translate these interventions into practice.
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Guidance
To ensure that the eHealth interventions for caregivers of people with dementia will continue to be available, supported, updated and compatible with changing software and hardware requirements, financing and business plans should be developed from the beginning.
Explanation and examples
A mixed-methods study followed up on the 12 publications included in Boots et al.’s (2014) widely cited systematic review on eHealth interventions for informal caregivers of people with dementia, to explore implementation into practice. Publicly available online information, implementation readiness (ImpRess checklist scores), and survey responses were assessed. The majority of survey respondents identified commercialization and having a business plan as facilitators to implementation. There was little evidence for any of the 12 applications being put into practice.
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Guidance
Ensure new technology is compatible with a range of relevant platforms to promote implementation.
Explanation and examples
Findings from the feasibility trial showed that people with dementia use a range of devices with various software versions (e.g. smartphones, touch-screen tablets, and personal computers) to access apps and other services. New technology which aims to be compatible with these different devices, can lead to increased uptake and may contribute to successful implementation.
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Guidance
To deliver more efficient self-help and technology-based psychological interventions to informal caregivers, time flexibility and personal retention approaches should be considered to prevent a high rate of dropout. Flexible timing (i.e., self-paced instruction) and personal retention approaches, such as embedding a component of social support/interaction in the form of informational support (e.g., guidance) and/or emotional support (e.g., peer support), showed lower attrition and higher rates of engagement and satisfaction in various self-help and technology-based psychological interventions for informal caregivers.
Explanation and Examples:
A systematic search was conducted into the use of psychological interventions based on acceptance and commitment therapy for informal caregivers of people with dementia or other long-term or chronic conditions. A total of 7896 abstracts and 33 full texts were read, resulting in 21 studies involving a narrative synthesis. Quantitative and qualitative data showed that flexible interventions are more amenable to caregivers’ lives. Further, social or interpersonal support in various modalities (e.g., automated messaging, reminders, personal touch) might promote motivation for, uptake of and engagement in interventions. Therefore, future technology-based interventions, particularly in the form of self-help that requires little or no therapist resources, might benefit from time flexibility and embedded social support components (e.g., peer support or motivational coaching). Furthermore, employing mixed methods or embedded qualitative components. (e.g., semi-structured interviews) might provide further insight into user experience, potentially supporting decisions related to intervention design. Uncovering and preventing factors associated with high rates of dropouts will lead to more effective, adaptive and individualised interventions.
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Social Health Domain 1: Fulfill ones potential and obligations
Guidance
Researchers and developers of web-based psychosocial interventions for people with dementia and carers should consider working together with existing dementia charities and support organisations during the intervention development. During the implementation and dissemination phase, these charities and organisations can be supportive in informing the public about the intervention, thereby increasing its potential use.
Explanation and Examples:
Existing research has shown the need for easily accessible psychosocial interventions for people with dementia and carers. Many people affected by dementia reach out to existing and well-established dementia support organisations and charities, such as Alzheimer’s Society UK in the UK, after they received the diagnosis. We conducted focus groups with 17 people with dementia and family carers to inform the development of a web-based psychosocial intervention. In these consultations, several participants pointed out that the intervention needs to be easy to find. Therefore, they suggested integrating it into the online content of dementia support organisations since these organisations are often the first source of support for people with dementia and carers. For example, the dementia support organisation (e.g., Alzheimer’s Society UK) could have a link on its website for people with dementia and carers that leads them to the intervention. Working together with these dementia support organisations during the intervention development phase can enhance the intervention’s implementation, dissemination, and future use. It will also enable easy access to the intervention and enhance its credibility and trustworthiness.
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Social Health Domain 2: Manage ones own life and promote independence
Guidance
While designing social assistive robots the following recommended features should be considered to promote successful implementation: low-cost affordable design (pet robot is preferred to humanoid), language mutation for target user and integration with Smart Home IoT (including IoT security mechanisms). During the development phase co-creation should be promoted.
Explanation and Examples:
These recommendations are based on the main findings of a scoping review. The scoping review investigated the state-of-the-art in social assistive robotics, i.e. the current technological advances towards a single framework for effective, safe and secure implementation of social robots for people with dementia. The scoping review qualitatively examined the literature on the use of companion robots, including both pet-like and humanoid robots, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) security, coupled with the new 5G technology for home-based elder care. A comprehensive search strategy was developed and selected databases were looked through with relevant keywords. From the 355 full-text articles found, 90 articles were selected to be examined. In order to ascertain the operation of social assistive robots in the future, remaining challenges, unused opportunities, security risks and suggested remedies are discussed, and a dementia-centred concept and implementation framework proposed.
The following set of recommendations were formulated based on the main findings:
- Consider using a pet robot instead of a humanoid assistive robot as the high cost of the latter for a similar impact and user acceptance cannot be justified.
- Consider low-cost, affordable design and various language mutations for wider deployment in practice, thus allowing more comparative studies, which could provide convincing arguments for using the robot.
- Integrate robot with Smart Home IoT to enhance its functionality towards managing ones own life and promote independence.
- Consider data security, and especially IoT security, prevention mechanisms while integrating the social robot with IoT smart home sensorics.
- Promote wider user involvement and higher level of participation (co-creation) in the development phase of the robot.
- Introduce clearly, and particularly identify, the concerns and needs of people with dementia in the design process.
- List the potential risks and misuses of IoT vulnerabilities, including their remedies, in the design process.
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Social Health Domain 3: Technology to promote social participation
Guidance
See recommendation no. 3.3.4.4
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Guidance
Understanding how social robots positively impact nursing home residents as well as analysing practical challenges are important when implementing robotic assistive technology in nursing homes
Explanation and examples
An important facilitating factor to the acceptance of social robots in nursing homes is understanding and seeing how social robots positively impact residents, for example by improving the communication, decreasing loneliness, providing joy to residents, calming agitated residents or generally increasing their wellbeing. Understanding these benefits will facilitate the acceptance of social robots by staff as well as by relatives, but is also important for the resident to accept the social robot, as their acceptance will be influenced by the views and attitudes of staff and relatives.
On the other hand, one of the key hindering factors to the acceptance of social robots in nursing homes are practicalities of everyday life in the nursing home, such as storage, hygiene, finding a quiet place, scheduling time for robot use or the need to charge the robot.
We conclude, that applying an acceptance model of social robots (here the Almere Model) is an interesting and feasible way to trace facilitators and barriers of implementation of social technology in nursing homes, where involvement in social activities and enhancing positive experiences are important foci of interventions to improve social health.
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Guidance
Implementing assistive technology could be promising in long-term care to address loneliness in dementia, but further studies are needed to tailor assistive technology to people living with dementia in different care settings and to investigate its effect on loneliness.
Explanation and examples
Active & Assisted Living (AAL) technology aims to support coping with the consequences of dementia. A scoping review was conducted to learn if and how AAL addresses loneliness in people living with dementia in long-term care. Although, only one study focused directly on the impact of AAL technology on loneliness, findings suggest that AAL were used in the context of psychosocial interventions and proved to have had an impact on loneliness in people living with dementia. It remains unclear why loneliness was almost never included as an outcome in technology studies. Since we were not able to derive clear effects of assistive technology on loneliness from the included studies, we recommend using loneliness outcome measures in future intervention studies into AAL technology.
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Guidance
See recommendation no. 3.3.4.4
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Guidance
See recommendation no. 3.1.6.7
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