Usability and acceptability of technology for community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic literature review

Abstract

BackgroundThe objective of this review was to obtain an overview of the technologies that have been explored with older adults with mild cognitive impairment and dementia (MCI/D), current knowledge on the usability and acceptability of such technologies, and how people with MCI/D and their family carers (FCs) were involved in these studies.Materials and methodsPrimary studies published between 2007 and 2017 that explored the use of technologies for community-dwelling people with MCI/D were identified through five databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, AMED, and CINAHL. Twenty-nine out of 359 papers met the criteria for eligibility. We used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool for quality assessment.ResultsA wide range of technologies was presented in the 29 studies, sorted into four domains: 1) safe walking indoors and outdoors; 2) safe living; 3) independent living; and 4) entertainment and social communication. The current state of knowledge regarding usability and acceptability reveals that even if researchers are aware of these concepts and intend to measure usability and acceptability, they seem difficult to assess. Terms such as “user friendliness” and “acceptance” were used frequently. User participation in the 29 studies was high. Persons with MCI/D, FCs, and staff/other older adults were involved in focus groups, workshops, and interviews as part of the preimplementation process.ConclusionResearch regarding technologies to support people with MCI/D seems optimistic, and a wide range of technologies has been evaluated in homes with people with MCI/D and their FCs. A major finding was the importance of including people with MCI/D and their FCs in research, in order to learn about required design features to enhance usability and acceptability. Surprisingly, very few studies reported on the consequences of technology use with regard to quality of life, occupational performance, or human dignity.

‘They Just Came with the Medication Dispenser’ – A Qualitative Study of Service User Involvement and Welfare Technology in Public Home Care Services

“…Welfare technologies' impact and consequences for safety, independence and the ability to stay at home Overall, the participants in our study were positive to welfare technology and wanted to use it more because of the feeling of safety it gave them and because it could help them to continue to live an independent life at home, as supported by ndings from other studies (5,20,21). For example use of safety alarms enabled participants to keep doing daily activities without worrying about falling, which is in line with a nding from a study by Stokke (23).…”

“…The goal of using welfare technology is to strengthen individuals' ability to manage for themselves in everyday life and cope with their life situation, preferably in their own homes (20)(21)(22). Moreover, the use of welfare technology comes with an assumption of increased safety for service users and their next of kin (5,23).…”

Care Robot Orientation: What, Who and How? Potential Users’ Perceptions

“…The ethical aspect becomes even more evident in relation to older adults having reduced decision-making ability, especially when CRO was discussed in relation to vulnerable older adults suffering from cognitive impairment. In contrast to these findings, a relatively optimistic view of technologies to support people with dementia in everyday life is presented in a recently published review [69]. From the professional caregivers' perspective, there is a possibility that care robots are regarded as a threat to the fundamental values of care.…”

Using Mobile Health and the Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life: Perceptions of Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment

“…Based on the results from a systematic review [18] focusing on health outcomes and efficacy of mHealth applications in adults with cognitive impairment, the evidence for improving health with the use of mHealth applications is of limited quality. Few studies [19] have reported on the consequences of technology use concerning older adults´QoL. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe perceptions of mHealth and its impact on HRQoL among older adults with cognitive impairment.…”