Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the Literature
Objectives: Technology can assist and support both people with dementia (PWD) and caregivers. Recently, technology has begun to embed remote components. Timely with respect to the pandemic, the present work reviews the most recent literature on technology in dementia contexts together with the newes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644587/full |
| _version_ | 1830138531892166656 |
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| author | Alessandro Pappadà Rabih Chattat Ilaria Chirico Marco Valente Giovanni Ottoboni Giovanni Ottoboni |
| author_facet | Alessandro Pappadà Rabih Chattat Ilaria Chirico Marco Valente Giovanni Ottoboni Giovanni Ottoboni |
| author_sort | Alessandro Pappadà |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: Technology can assist and support both people with dementia (PWD) and caregivers. Recently, technology has begun to embed remote components. Timely with respect to the pandemic, the present work reviews the most recent literature on technology in dementia contexts together with the newest studies about technological support published until October 2020. The final aim is to provide a synthesis of the timeliest evidence upon which clinical and non-clinical decision-makers can rely to make choices about technology in the case of further pandemic waves.Methods: A review of reviews was performed alongside a review of the studies run during the first pandemic wave. PsycInfo, CINAHL, and PubMed-online were the databases inspected for relevant papers published from January 2010.Results: The search identified 420 articles, 30 of which were reviews and nine of which were new studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Studies were first sorted according to the target population, then summarized thematically in a narrative synthesis. The studies targeting technologies for PWD were categorized as follows: monitoring and security purposes, sustaining daily life, and therapeutic interventions. Each category showed potential benefits. Differently, the interventions for caregivers were classified as informative, psycho-education programs, psychosocial-supportive, therapeutic, and cognitive/physical training. Benefits to mental health, skills learning, and social aspects emerged.Conclusions: The evidence shows that technology is well-accepted and can support PWD and caregivers to bypass physical and environmental problems both during regular times and during future pandemic waves. Nevertheless, the lack of a common methodological background is revealed by this analysis. Further and more standardized research is necessary to improve the implementation of technologies in everyday life while respecting the necessary personalization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T08:27:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07dd9d4ebc804da08c729aa161e9f3ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T08:27:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-07dd9d4ebc804da08c729aa161e9f3ff2022-12-21T21:56:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-03-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.644587644587Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the LiteratureAlessandro Pappadà0Rabih Chattat1Ilaria Chirico2Marco Valente3Giovanni Ottoboni4Giovanni Ottoboni5Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy“G. Prodi” Interdipartimental Center for Cancer Research, Bologna, ItalyObjectives: Technology can assist and support both people with dementia (PWD) and caregivers. Recently, technology has begun to embed remote components. Timely with respect to the pandemic, the present work reviews the most recent literature on technology in dementia contexts together with the newest studies about technological support published until October 2020. The final aim is to provide a synthesis of the timeliest evidence upon which clinical and non-clinical decision-makers can rely to make choices about technology in the case of further pandemic waves.Methods: A review of reviews was performed alongside a review of the studies run during the first pandemic wave. PsycInfo, CINAHL, and PubMed-online were the databases inspected for relevant papers published from January 2010.Results: The search identified 420 articles, 30 of which were reviews and nine of which were new studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Studies were first sorted according to the target population, then summarized thematically in a narrative synthesis. The studies targeting technologies for PWD were categorized as follows: monitoring and security purposes, sustaining daily life, and therapeutic interventions. Each category showed potential benefits. Differently, the interventions for caregivers were classified as informative, psycho-education programs, psychosocial-supportive, therapeutic, and cognitive/physical training. Benefits to mental health, skills learning, and social aspects emerged.Conclusions: The evidence shows that technology is well-accepted and can support PWD and caregivers to bypass physical and environmental problems both during regular times and during future pandemic waves. Nevertheless, the lack of a common methodological background is revealed by this analysis. Further and more standardized research is necessary to improve the implementation of technologies in everyday life while respecting the necessary personalization.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644587/fulldementiatechnology-assistive/supportiveCOVID-19 pandemicquality of lifecaregiverspsychology |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Pappadà Rabih Chattat Ilaria Chirico Marco Valente Giovanni Ottoboni Giovanni Ottoboni Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the Literature Frontiers in Psychology dementia technology-assistive/supportive COVID-19 pandemic quality of life caregivers psychology |
| title | Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the Literature |
| title_full | Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the Literature |
| title_fullStr | Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the Literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the Literature |
| title_short | Assistive Technologies in Dementia Care: An Updated Analysis of the Literature |
| title_sort | assistive technologies in dementia care an updated analysis of the literature |
| topic | dementia technology-assistive/supportive COVID-19 pandemic quality of life caregivers psychology |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644587/full |
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