Title

ICT-based applications to improve social health and social participation in older adults with dementia

Authors

·       Pinto-Bruno A.C.^a, b,

·       Garcia-Casal J.A.^a, b,

·       Csipke E.^d,

·       Jenaro-Rio C.^a,

·       Franco-Martin M.^a, c

Author Affiliations

·       ^a Department of personality, evaluation and psychological treatment, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

·       ^b Department of Research & Development, INTRAS Foundation, Zamora, Spain

·       ^c Department of Psychiatry, Zamora Hospital, Zamora, Spain

·       ^d Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom

Publication Information

Routledge

Date of Publication

2 January 2017

Series/Report no.

AGING & MENTAL HEALTH, VOL. 21, NO. 1, 58–65

Key words

Dementia; older adults; social health; social participation; technology

Abstract

Objectives: Information and communication technologies (ICT) developers, together with dementia experts have created several technological solutions to improve and facilitate social health and social participation and quality of life of older adults living with dementia. However, there is a need to carry out a systematic literature review that focuses on the validity and efficacy of these new technologies assessing their utility to promote social health' and active ageing' in people with dementia.

Method: Searches in electronic databases identified 3824 articles of which 6 met the inclusion criteria and were coded according to their methodological approach, sample sizes, type of outcomes and results.

Results: Six papers were identified reporting the use of 10 different interventions with people with dementia. Qualitative studies (four) showed a benefit of the use of technologies to foster social participation in people with dementia. At the same time, barriers to a widespread use of these technologies in this population were identified. A quantitative study and a mixed-method study with quantitative outcomes showed that ICT-based interventions promote more social behaviors than non-technology-based interventions.

Conclusions: In the last years, several technological devices for living independently and fostering social health and social participation in people with dementia have been developed. However, specific outcome measures to assess social health and social participation are needed. Even though the analyzed studies provided some evidence-base for the use of technology in this field, there is an urge to develop high quality studies and specific outcome measures.

주요 내용

Information and communication technologies (ICT) 개발자들은 치매 전문가들과 함께 고령 치매 환자들의 삶의 질, 그리고 그들의 건강과 사회참여를 위해 몇 가지 technological solution들을 제시해왔다. 그러나 고령 치매 환자들의 ‘active aging(활기찬 노후)’를 위한 ICT 기술 관련하여 그 타당성과 효과성을 입증한 체계적 문헌 검토를 할 필요성이 있다. 본 연구에서 양적, 질적 연구들을 분석한 결과 ICT 기술 기반 개입이 치매 환자들의 기술을 기반으로 하지 않은 개입보다 치매 환자들의 사회적 활동을 촉진한다는 결과들을 도출할 수 있었다. 그러나 치매 환자들의 사회적 건강과 참여를 평가하기 위한 구체적인 결과 측정 수단이 필요하다. 

ISSN

13646915
13607863

DOI

·       https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2016.1262818