Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK.
BMJ Open. 2020 Mar 18;10(3):e034460. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034460.
Assistive technology (AT) can help carers (family, friends and neighbours) and people with dementia to stay well and safely at home. There are important gaps in what we know about experience of using AT from the perspective of carers of persons with dementia. This study investigates carers' experience of using AT in supporting and caring for persons with dementia who live at home.
Qualitative phenomenological study with semi-structured interviews to achieve data saturation and thematic analysis to identify key themes.
Community-based within the UK.
Twenty-three (14 women, 9 men) adult carers of persons with dementia who have used at least one AT device.
All participants reported benefiting to varying degrees from using AT. There were 5 themes and 18 subthemes that highlighted reasons for using AT and use of AT over time. Providing care for a person with dementia, motivation for using AT, changes to roles and routines, carer knowledge and skills for using AT and social, environmental and ethical considerations were the main themes. This study showed that AT can provide reassurance and support for carers of persons with dementia but there are difficulties with acquiring and continued use of AT as dementia progresses.
Carers consider AT as an adjunct to care they provided in caring for a person with dementia. Use of AT should be considered in the personal, social and environmental context of persons with dementia and their carers. Further research and policy interventions are needed to address best use of resources and guidance on data sharing and data protection while using AT.
辅助技术（AT）可以帮助照顾者（家人、朋友和邻居）和痴呆症患者保持健康和安全地在家中生活。我们对照顾者在使用 AT 方面的体验知之甚少，特别是从痴呆症患者照顾者的角度来看。本研究调查了照顾者在支持和照顾居家痴呆症患者时使用 AT 的体验。
定性现象学研究，采用半结构化访谈以实现数据饱和和主题分析以确定关键主题。
在英国的社区内。
23 名（14 名女性，9 名男性）使用过至少一种 AT 设备的痴呆症患者的成年照顾者。
所有参与者都报告说在不同程度上受益于使用 AT。有 5 个主题和 18 个子主题突出了使用 AT 的原因和随时间使用 AT 的情况。照顾痴呆症患者、使用 AT 的动机、角色和日常生活的变化、照顾者使用 AT 的知识和技能以及社会、环境和伦理考虑是主要主题。这项研究表明，AT 可以为痴呆症患者的照顾者提供安慰和支持，但随着痴呆症的发展，获取和持续使用 AT 存在困难。
照顾者将 AT 视为他们在照顾痴呆症患者时提供的护理的辅助手段。应该根据痴呆症患者及其照顾者的个人、社会和环境背景考虑使用 AT。需要进一步的研究和政策干预措施，以解决最佳利用资源的问题，并指导在使用 AT 时的数据共享和数据保护。
