Purpose This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the commercially available PAL4-dementia system, a supportive touch screen for people with dementia. The main purpose was to study the advantages and disadvantages of the system from the perspective of the client, family and professional caregiver and the potentials to upscale its use. Method The evaluation was conducted over 9 months with 16 clients of 2 healthcare organizations in the Netherlands. A mixed-method design was used in this pilot, involving log files of system use, interviews with family caregivers, a focus group made up of professional caregivers, observations of project group meetings and a cost analysis. Results Clients and family caregivers reported good support of daily life activities. They thought the system could help the client to live at home for a longer period of time. The cost analysis showed monthly savings per client as compared to living in a nursing home ranging from around € 820 (10 clients) to € 860 (50 clients). Despite these positive results, numerous problems were detected: (i) interruptions of technology, (ii) insufficient operation knowledge of professional caregivers, (iii) insufficient active involvement of family caregivers, and (iv) limited user friendliness of the lay-out.

BACKGROUND: This paper presents the results of an evaluation of a technology-supported leisure game for people with dementia in relation to the stimulation of social behavior. OBJECTIVE: In this study we explore the additional impact of technology-supported leisure activities on behavioral outcomes of people with dementia in a nursing home and daycare setting in comparison to a traditional leisure activity. The technologysupported game aims to stimulate social behavior and interaction among participants via its design features, including a TV, radio, telephone and treasure box. METHODS: A mixed-method research design was applied. Observations of participants (n = 10, multiple rounds of observations), were conducted using the Oshkosh Social Behavior Coding scale. The bootstrapping method was used for statistical analysis, differentiating for different subgroups of participants. In addition, interviews with the activity facilitators were conducted. RESULTS: Social behavior was found to occur more often than non-social behavior during the sessions, in particular, due to commenting during the game. Participants with a low MMSE score, scored higher for non-social and non-verbal behavior. Female participants scored higher for social behavior than males. Activity facilitators stated that the technology-supported leisure activity helps them with their professional tasks. CONCLUSION: A technology-supported game can stimulate communication and social behavior among players with dementia. Moreover, it helps activity facilitators in making activities more person-centered.

BackgroundA web-based self-management intervention guided by peer-trainers was developed to support young adults’ self-management in coping with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). To investigate its effectiveness, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. In addition, the content of the chat and participants’ goals were studied to identify underlying processes.MethodsAn RCT with a six-month follow up period was conducted among 72 young adults with JIA, aged between 16 and 25 years old, randomly assigned to the intervention or to the usual care control group. After 24 weeks, in both groups 24 participants completed all measurements. Intentions to treat analyses were carried out by means of linear mixed models for longitudinal measurements. With self-efficacy as primary outcome, self-management, disease activity, quality of life, absenteeism of school/work, health care medication use and adherence to the intervention were studied. The participants’ goals, personal achievements, interactions on the chat, and their appreciation of the intervention were analyzed using thematic analyses.ResultsNo significant differences were found on self-efficacy, quality of life, and self-management between the participants of the control group and the intervention group. In the intervention group, modeling and sharing experiences were the most recognized themes. Fifty-five goals were formulated and divided into the following categories: improvement and maintaining balance, setting and recognizing boundaries, communicating and coping with incomprehension. Adherence, appreciation of the own learning experience, and personal achievements were rated positively.ConclusionThe web-based intervention did not lead to an improvement of self-efficacy. However, additional qualitative analyses showed that the intervention was appreciated and valuable for the participants. More research is needed on how to measure the added value of this intervention compared to the usual care.Trial registrationTrial registration number NTR4679.