58 research outputs found
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Kinect Project: people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment learning to play group motion-based games
Introduction: Motion-based technologies (MBT) could provide nonpharmacological interventions for people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (PCI). This study examined the use of errorless learning techniques to empower PCI to use MBT.
Methods: Thirty-eight PCI were recruited to a 10-week (20 x 1-hour sessions) Xbox Kinect bowling group. Video recorded data from first, middle, and final sessions were coded to track: (1) number of prompts per turn, (2) independent turn completion, and (3) duration of turns. were compared using repeated measures ANOVA.
Results: Learning and improvement over time was demonstrated in 23 participants who were available for final analysis by significant decreases in number of prompts per turn and turn duration and significant increases in turns completed independently.
Discussion: Errorless learning supported PCI to learn MBT and improve over time as evidenced by their need for fewer prompts, shorter turns, and more turns completed independently, confirming the potential of MBT to provide leisure activities for PCI
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Studies involving people with dementia and touchscreen technology: a literature review
Background: Devices using touchscreen interfaces such as tablets and smartphones have been highlighted as potentially suitable for people with dementia due to their intuitive and simple control method. This population experience a lack of meaningful, engaging activities, yet the potential use of the touchscreen format to address this issue has not been fully realized.
Objective: To identify and synthesize the existing body of literature involving the use of touchscreen technology and people with dementia in order to guide future research in this area.
Methods: A systematized review of studies in the English language was conducted, where a touchscreen interface was used with human participants with dementia.
Results: A total of 45 articles met the inclusion criteria. Four questions were addressed concerning (1) the context of use, (2) reasons behind the selection of the technology, (3) details of the hardware and software, and (4) whether independent use by people with dementia was evidenced.
Conclusions: This review presents an emerging body of evidence demonstrating that people with dementia are able to independently use touchscreen technology. The intuitive control method and adaptability of modern devices has driven the selection of this technology in studies. However, its primary use to date has been as a method to deliver assessments and screening tests or to provide an assistive function or cognitive rehabilitation. Building on the finding that people with dementia are able to use touchscreen technology and which design features facilitate this, more use could be made to deliver independent activities for meaningful occupation, entertainment, and fun
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The use of motion-based technology for people living with dementia or mild cognitive impairment: a literature review
Background: The number of people living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is increasing substantially. Although there are many research efforts directed toward the prevention and treatment of dementia and MCI, it is also important to learn more about supporting people to live well with dementia or MCI through cognitive, physical, and leisure means. While past research suggests that technology can be used to support positive aging for people with dementia or MCI, the use of motion-based technology has not been thoroughly explored with this population.
Objective: The aim of this study was to identify and synthesize the current literature involving the use of motion-based technology for people living with dementia or MCI by identifying themes while noting areas requiring further research.
Methods: A systematic review of studies involving the use of motion-based technology for human participants living with dementia or MCI was conducted.
Results: A total of 31 articles met the inclusion criteria. Five questions are addressed concerning (1) context of use; (2) population included (ie, dementia, MCI, or both); (3) hardware and software selection; (4) use of motion-based technology in a group or individual setting; and (5) details about the introduction, teaching, and support methods applied when using the motion-based technology with people living with dementia or MCI.
Conclusions: The findings of this review confirm the potential of motion-based technology to improve the lives of people living with dementia or MCI. The use of this technology also spans across several contexts including cognitive, physical, and leisure; all of which support multidimensional well-being. The literature provides evidence that people living with dementia or MCI can learn how to use this technology and that they enjoy doing so. However, there is a lack of information provided in the literature regarding the introduction, training, and support methods applied when using this form of technology with this population. Future research should address the appropriate introduction, teaching, and support required for people living with dementia or MCI to use the motion-based technology. In addition, it is recommended that the diverse needs of these specific end-users be considered in the design and development of this technology
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“That’s for old so and so’s!”: does identity influence older adults’ technology adoption decisions?
The role of identity in older adults’ decision-making about assistive technology adoption has been suggested but not fully explored. This scoping review was conducted to better understand how older adults’ self-image and their desire to maintain this, influences their decision-making processes regarding assistive technology adoption. Using the five-stage scoping review framework by Arksey and O’Malley, a total of 416 search combinations were run across 9 databases, resulting in a final yield of 49 articles. From these 49 articles, five themes emerged: (1) Resisting the negative reality of an ageing and/or disabled identity; (2) Independence and control are key; (3) The aesthetic dimension of usability; (4) Assistive technology as a last resort; and (5) Privacy versus pragmatics. The findings highlight the importance of older adults’ desire to portray an identity consistent with independence, self-reliance and competence, and how this desire directly impacts their assistive technology decision-making adoption patterns. These findings aim to support the adoption of assistive technologies by older adults to facilitate engagement in meaningful activities, enable social participation within the community, and promote health and well-being in later life
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Using Adaptive Interaction to simplify caregiver's communication with people with dementia who cannot speak
Caregivers find it difficult to interact with people with dementia who have lost the capacity for speech. Adaptive Interaction is a simplified approach that uses the nonverbal fundamentals of communication to connect with people who can no longer speak. Here we present Adaptive Interaction as a method for equipping caregivers with these nonverbal skills to increase communication with the people they care for. Six caregivers were each paired with one individual with dementia and trained in Adaptive Interaction. After receiving training in Adaptive Interaction, caregivers identified more communicative behaviours in their interactions partners and engaged in more frequent positive social behaviours and meaningful actions during interactions. These findings suggest that it is possible to equip staff to use simplified communication based on nonverbal fundamentals to connect with people with dementia who can no longer speak.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
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Comparing recent reviews about touchscreens for dementia with lessons from the field
Conclusions were synthesised from recent reviews on (touchscreen)technologies and people with dementia and lessons learnt using these devices in projects in the UK, the Netherlands and Canada. The combined findings provide a strong basis for defining new strategies for exploiting touchscreen technology for people with dementia
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Older adults’ perspectives on using digital technology to maintain good mental health: interactive group study
Background: A growing number of apps to support good mental health and wellbeing are available on digital platforms. However, very few studies have examined older adults’ attitudes towards the use of these, despite increasing uptake of digital technologies by this demographic.
Objective: The present study sought to explore older adults’ perspectives on technology to support good mental health.
Methods: Fifteen older adults (>50 years old), in two groups, participated in sessions to explore the use of digital technologies to support mental health. Interactive activities were designed to capture participants’ immediate reactions to apps and websites designed to support mental health, and explore their experiences of using technology for these purposes in their own lives. Template analysis was used to analyse transcripts of the group discussions.
Results: Older adults were motivated to turn to technology to improve mood through mechanisms of distraction, normalisation and facilitated expression of mental states, while aiming to reduce burden on others. Perceived barriers to use included fear of consequences, and the impact of low mood on readiness to engage with technology, as well as a lack of prior knowledge applicable to digital technologies. Participants were aware of websites available to support mental health, but awareness alone did not motivate use.
Conclusions: Older adults are motivated to use digital technologies to improve their mental health, but barriers remain that developers need to address for this population to access them
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Computer-based tools for assessing micro-longitudinal patterns of cognitive function in older adults
Patterns of cognitive change over micro-longitudinal timescales (i.e., ranging from hours to days) are associated with a wide range of age-related health and functional outcomes. However, practical issues with conducting high-frequency assessments make investigations of micro-longitudinal cognition costly and burdensome to run. One way of addressing this is to develop cognitive assessments that can be performed by older adults, in their own homes, without a researcher being present. Here, we address the question of whether reliable and valid cognitive data can be collected over micro-longitudinal timescales using unsupervised cognitive tests.In study 1, 48 older adults completed two touchscreen cognitive tests, on three occasions, in controlled conditions, alongside a battery of standard tests of cognitive functions. In study 2, 40 older adults completed the same two computerized tasks on multiple occasions, over three separate week-long periods, in their own homes, without a researcher present. Here, the tasks were incorporated into a wider touchscreen system (Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing (NANA)) developed to assess multiple domains of health and behavior. Standard tests of cognitive function were also administered prior to participants using the NANA system.Performance on the two “NANA” cognitive tasks showed convergent validity with, and similar levels of reliability to, the standard cognitive battery in both studies. Completion and accuracy rates were also very high. These results show that reliable and valid cognitive data can be collected from older adults using unsupervised computerized tests, thus affording new opportunities for the investigation of cognitive function
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The validation of a computer-based food record for older adults: the Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing (NANA) method
Dietary assessment in older adults can be challenging. The Novel Assessment of Nutrition and Ageing (NANA) method is a touch-screen
computer-based food record that enables older adults to record their dietary intakes. The objective of the present study was to assess
the relative validity of the NANA method for dietary assessment in older adults. For this purpose, three studies were conducted in which a
total of ninety-four older adults (aged 65–89 years) used the NANA method of dietary assessment. On a separate occasion, participants
completed a 4 d estimated food diary. Blood and 24 h urine samples were also collected from seventy-six of the volunteers for the analysis
of biomarkers of nutrient intake. The results from all the three studies were combined, and nutrient intake data collected using the NANA
method were compared against the 4 d estimated food diary and biomarkers of nutrient intake. Bland–Altman analysis showed
a reasonable agreement between the dietary assessment methods for energy and macronutrient intake; however, there were small, but
significant, differences for energy and protein intake, reflecting the tendency for the NANA method to record marginally lower energy intakes.
Significant positive correlations were observed between urinary urea and dietary protein intake using both the NANA and the 4 d estimated
food diary methods, and between plasma ascorbic acid and dietary vitamin C intake using the NANA method. The results demonstrate the
feasibility of computer-based dietary assessment in older adults, and suggest that the NANA method is comparable to the 4 d estimated
food diary, and could be used as an alternative to the food diary for the short-term assessment of an individual’s dietary intake
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