Consider selling empowering products for people with dementia and carers and avoid stigmatizing stereotypes
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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As the INDUCT project manager, most of my tasks have been ‘behind the scenes’. I have been responsible for submitting scientific deliverables, writing reports for the funder, negotiating deadlines and updating the EU Portal. A project manager functions as a middleman between the EC Project Officer, beneficiaries, partners and ESRs.