The development of safer walking technology: a review

Abstract

2010),"GPS technologies in managing the risks associated with safer walking in people with dementia -a practical perspectiveIf you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to gain a greater understanding of the development of safer walking technology for people with dementia through contemporary literature. Design/methodology/approach -A two stage systematic approach to searching the literature was adopted. Initially this involved searching the literature to gain a broad overview of the development of safer walking technology and the context in which it has been developed. Then, this literature was examined in detail to look at published evidence surrounding the use of safer walking technology by people with dementia. These articles were quality appraised and a meta ethnographic approach taken to synthesis of the findings. Findings -There is a small but growing body of literature within this field. Whilst there is only limited evidence to support the use of safer walking technologies for people with dementia, the evidence to date indicates great potential for its use. If provided with the right support and guidance, safer walking technology has the potential to increase freedoms and independence for people with dementia; gaining them improved access to outdoor spaces and environments to support their health and wellbeing. However, if the safer walking technology continues to be associated with only risk management it will not achieve this potential.Research limitations/implications -The published literature within this field is small and has limited generalisability as much of it was generated in recent years has been by the same small research teams, often reusing data sets. There is also very little research that examines the experience of actually using safer walking technology and even less which explores the views of people with dementia. It is evident that a greater breadth and depth of knowledge is needed within this field to develop a clearer understanding of how this technology is used and perceived by all stakeholders concerned. In particular the literature would benefit from greater consideration of the views and experiences of people with dementia themselves. Practical implic...

Technology and Dementia: The Future is Now

“…Navigation and route-finding can, however, become challenging and numerous technological solutions have been developed to support these activities [47] and enable “safe walking” [48, 49]. Smart phones with GPS and map functions, offer functionality to support wayfinding [50], including identifying indicators of disorientation to support navigation prompting [51].…”

Differences in Assistive Technology Installed for People With Dementia Living at Home Who Have Wandering and Safety Risks

“…Safety is a known concern for caregivers even when the person with dementia is unable to leave the home (39), and often leads to restrictions being placed upon the independent activity of the participant. Caregivers prioritise the safety of the person with dementia even above their autonomy or privacy (42). If safer walking technologies are primarily installed to alleviate caregiver anxiety, this explains why this type of AT was less likely to be provided for people with dementia living alone.…”

Technology and Dementia: The Future Is Now

“…Participating in activities outside the home remains important for persons with dementia. Navigation and route-finding can, however, become challenging and numerous technological solutions have been developed to support these activities [47] and enable "safe walking" [48,49]. Smart phones with GPS and map functions, offer functionality to support wayfinding [50], including identifying indicators of disorientation to support navigation prompting [51].…”