To Örebro University

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to identify structural problems and challenges for the delivery of digital technologies for ageing in place to elderly with dementia.

Methods: To that end, I conducted a case study in a Swedish municipality.

Results: The results showed that elderly with dementia are not exploiting their full potential of receiving help in the form of technology, since the four conditions of the Consumer Direction (Control and Direct services – Variety of digital technologies for ageing in place options – Information and Support – Participation in systems design) were met to a very low degree.

Conclusions: I propose that the municipality in question creates a proper knowledge-sharing platform so that occupational therapists are well informed about digital technologies for ageing in place, to allow them to provide accurate information and support to elderly with dementia, resulting in a possible increase in use of technology and subsequently support the empowerment goal of Consumer Direction. I also believe, according to the findings of this study, that the module of Information and Support should be treated as the most important condition for achieving increased Consumer Direction.

PURPOSE: Digital technologies have a great potential to improve the quality of life of people with dementia. However, this group is usually not involved in their development and dissemination. A consumer-directed role in the delivery of digital technologies could allow this group to regain autonomy and certain independence. This article aims to conceptualise the components of the Consumer Direction theory in the context of digital technologies and people with dementia.

METHOD: A literature review was conducted. We searched for studies within the aforementioned context in five relevant databases, covering the years 2012-2020. Identified studies were screened and assessed for inclusion. The data were categorised using two-stage qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS: Forty articles were included. The results provide definitions of the four components of the Consumer Direction theory in the context of this study. Namely, what it means for people with dementia to be (1) in control of technology use, (2) offered a variety of technological options, (3) informed and supported regarding the use and training of digital technologies, and (4) actively participating in systems design. These can lead to the empowerment of people with dementia.

CONCLUSION: The four theoretical components of the Consumer Direction theory are conceptualised differently in the context of this study. By providing new definitions, this paper contributes to research and practice. We expect the definitions to be deployed by researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for the creation of a more consumer-directed delivery of digital technologies to people with dementia.Implications for rehabilitationDigital technologies have a great potential to improve the quality of life of people with dementia.A consumer-directed role in the delivery of digital technologies could empower people with dementia and give them the opportunity to take control over the offered services as well as maintain a degree of independence.The Consumer Direction theory and its components should be conceptualised differently in the context of digital technologies and people with dementia than in previous contexts that used the theory.The new definitions can be utilised by researchers, practitioners and policymakers for the creation of a more consumer-directed delivery of digital technologies to people with dementia.

Background: With the ongoing rise of the elderly population and the subsequent number of dementia cases, digital technologies are often appearing to support people with dementia in their daily living activities. However, the majority of scientific literature tends to focus mostly on these digital technologies as sole solutions.

Objective: Real-life implementations can be successful if we have a better understanding of the social, environmental, and technical aspects combined. Hence, this article reports a case study conducted in a Swedish dementia care residence to identify possible digital technologies’ needs.

Method: A case study was conducted in a Swedish dementia care residence.

Results: The results show that even though digital technologies are crucial in supporting both staff and residents, digital technologies alone cannot address the complex needs identified within the residence.

Conclusion: For the digital technologies to be effective, they need to be integrated into the dementia care residence’s work processes and the capabilities of the current design of the property hosting the residence. Thus maintaining a socio-technical rather than a techno-centric perspective.

One of the major societal challenges occuring within our time is that of the increased elderly population and subsequently elderly people suffering from dementia. However, the existing workforce for taking care of this population is rapidly diminishing, thus alternatives or aids are needed. Digital technologies for ageing in place are offered by Swedish municipalities as part of their welfare services. Their aim, to maintain the independency and prolong the time staying at home or also known as “ageing in place”. However, it is important that people with dementia have a say in the delivery of such services by maintaining a consumer-directed role.

This thesis address the question: What are the consumer-directed challenges for service delivery of digital technologies for ageing in place to elderly with dementia?

The thesis adopts a consumer-directed perspective, meaning that it perceives people with dementia as able to control and direct the delivery of digital technologies for ageing in place. The thesis uses a qualitative case study methodology and a literature review approach. Three case studies are conducted. The first case studied the challenges occuring in the delivery of digital technologies for ageing in place in a Swedish municipality. The second case was conducted at a dementia care residence with the purpose of identifying various needs (from staff, relatives and people with dementia) for suggesting possible digital technologies. The third case investigated the level of Consumer Direction people with dementia have over the delivery process of a mobile security alarm as part of the welfare services. This thesis identifies a number of challenges in the delivery process to people with dementia, and gives an overview of the problematic areas within such process. Lastly the thesis provides insights on the factors that influence the acceptance of digital technologiesf or ageing in place, as a step towards the actual use of the technologies that takes place under the delivery process.

Purpose: To identify factors that influence the acceptance of technology for ageing in place by seniors in the post-implementation stage. This review is among very few that focus on acceptance in post-implementation phase.

Methods: A literature review. We searched six databases (Cinahl, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus). Inclusion criteria were: 1) original and peer-reviewed research written in English, 2) Articles published in 2010–2018, 3) Empirical research papers, 4) Research in which participants are seniors aged above 60 years, 5) Research aimed at investigating factors that influence the acceptance of digital technology for ageing in place, 6) Research conducted in home environment, 7) Focus on post-implementation stage.

Results: Twenty-three out of 2181 papers were included. The results show that acceptance of technology in the post-implementation stage is influenced by 36 factors, divided into six themes: concerns/problems regarding technology (technical errors, etc.), experienced positive characteristics of technology (e.g., ease of use factors, privacy implications), expected benefits of technology (e.g., increased safety, companionship, increased security, etc.), need for technology (e.g., perceived need to use), social influence (e.g., influence by peers, family or surroundings) and characteristics of older adults (e.g., past experiences/attitudes, physical environment). The articles considered different types of technology: health monitoring, ADL, safety and communication. The level of technology readiness for digital technologies supporting ageing in place in post-implementation stage is still low within the scientific literature, since only seven out of 23 articles studied mature technologies (TRL 8–9 of the technology readiness level scale). The majority of the studies were conducted in Western Europe or the US, and only two were conducted in other regions (Australia, and Taiwan). Qualitative and quantitative methods were equally used in the analysed articles.

Conclusions: Acceptance of technology in the post-implementation stage is influenced by multiple factors. An interesting finding was that the seniors’ views of technology change between the pre- and post-implementation stages. Some negative concerns that appeared in the pre-implementation stage appear as positive characteristics in the post-implementation stage. In the post-implementation stage, seniors realize the wide variety of benefits that technology can have on their lives. We expect that findings of this review can be utilised by academics and policy-makers for gaining insights for further research and successful implementation of technology for ageing in place.

During recent years, many schools have started to implement information and communication technologies (ICTs)-based learning devices (such as laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and active boards) in the classroom settings in order to increase learning outcomes. The aim of this study is to find which activities and outcomes are evident in the usages of computing devices and how those devices aid elementary-level students in their learning activities. The study includes five overt participant observations at some schools in a Swedish municipality including unstructured interviews and explains the findings through activity theory and the Alberta Education Framework for Student Learning . The major activities found were dealing with the (1) educational application assignments, (2) storytelling, (3) report writing and (4) practical interaction assignments. We concluded that ICTs aid students in becoming more concentrated, focus driven, engaged and amused, thus learning becomes more interesting.