Article
Care technologies: What are the needs and expectations of persons with dementia and their informal caregivers? A scoping review
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Authors
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Julian Hirt
- FHS St. Gallen, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Institut für Angewandte Pflegewissenschaft, Schweiz; Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Medizinische Fakultät, Institut für Gesundheits- und Pflegewissenschaft, Internationale Graduiertenakademie, Deutschland
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Melanie Burgstaller
- FHS St. Gallen, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Institut für Angewandte Pflegewissenschaft, Schweiz
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Heidi Zeller
- FHS St. Gallen, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Institut für Angewandte Pflegewissenschaft, Schweiz
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Thomas Beer
- FHS St. Gallen, Fachbereich Gesundheit, Institut für Angewandte Pflegewissenschaft, Schweiz
| Published: | March 20, 2019 |
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Outline
Text
Background/research question: Technologies might be a suitable option and useful complement to support persons with dementia and their informal caregivers. To avoid «one-fits-all»-solutions and to design useful technologies carefully tailored to the end-users´ needs, it is essential to involve persons with dementia and their informal caregivers in the development and testing process. Persons with dementia want to take part in the development of technologies by expressing their needs, wishes, expectations, ideas, and recommendations [1]. However, there is little research taking into account the end-users´ perspective. Therefore, the objective of this study is to gather knowledge about the needs and expectations of persons with dementia and their caregivers concerning care technologies.
Methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature search in four databases, including a hand search of five journals, and a free web search. Additionally, we performed backward and forward citation tracking of included studies. Studies with qualitative and quantitative design published since 2007 in English and German were included. We excluded publications not reporting in detail results of persons with dementia or their informal caregivers as well as studies on other topics (e.g. acceptance, attitudes). Two researchers independently conducted the search, selected the studies and extracted data. The results were categorised thematically.
Results: The literature search yielded 7160 references, 24 studies were included. Eighteen used interviews for data collection, five a questionnaire. One study had a mixed-methods design. Studies were conducted in 13 different countries, mostly in Europe. Overall, sample size ranged between two and 270 participants. Most samples were mixed, including persons with dementia and informal caregivers (n=11). Other samples consisted only of informal caregivers (n=9) or persons with dementia (n=4). Most prevalent categories of needs and expectations were operating modes of technologies, design aspects, and their monitoring functionalities.
Conclusions: Mapping the characteristics and results of available studies about this topic is suitable to guide further research in care technologies. All findings will be available by the end of 2018.
Competing interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
References
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- Meiland F, Innes A, Mountain G, Robinson L, van der Roest H, García-Casal JA, Gove D, Thyrian JR, Evans S, Dröes RM, Kelly F, Kurz A, Casey D, Szcześniak D, Dening T, Craven MP, Span M, Felzmann H, Tsolaki M, Franco-Martin M. Technologies to Support Community-Dwelling Persons With Dementia: A Position Paper on Issues Regarding Development, Usability, Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness, Deployment, and Ethics. JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2017 Jan 16;4(1):e1. DOI: 10.2196/rehab.6376
