Health Services Research Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Richard Doll Building, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7LF, UK.
BMC Geriatr. 2022 Jun 8;22(1):490. doi: 10.1186/s12877-022-03167-4.
INTRODUCTION: Informal carers support persons with dementia to live at home, even with deteriorating physical, social and cognitive issues. This study aims to examine the experiences and impact of Assistive Technology (AT) on carers, providing care for a person with dementia. METHODS: This is an explanatory sequential mixed methods study. The quantitative phase was an online and postal survey using the Carers Assistive Technology Experience Questionnaire and Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire, with carers of persons with dementia in the UK, who used AT. The qualitative phase involved in-depth telephone interviews with a purposive sample of survey respondents and was analysed using hermeneutic phenomenology to develop, compare and explain the findings of the survey. RESULTS: The survey included data from 201 carers. Smartphones (45.5%) and tablet computers (45.0%) were the most frequently used AT. Multiple AT were used in the care of persons with dementia predominantly for safety (78.5%), communication (66.0%), and reminders (62.5%). The SF-12 indicated that carers in the 46-65 age group and carers who were not extremely satisfied with AT had lower mental component scores whilst carers who lived with the person with dementia and older carers had lower physical component scores. Twenty-three carers participated in the interviews, and 5 themes with 14 sub-themes were identified. The interviews helped confirm data from the survey on the impact of AT on the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the carers. It helped describe reasons for satisfaction with AT; how AT was used in daily life and strengthened caring relationships and how wider support systems enhanced the care of a person with dementia using AT. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the use of AT in the real-world context. AT supplements the care provided to people with dementia in the community. Appropriate use, access to AT and abilities of the carer can enhance the support provided through AT to both carers and the person with dementia.
简介:非专业护工为患有痴呆症的人提供居家支持,即使他们的身体、社交和认知能力逐渐下降。本研究旨在探讨辅助技术(AT)对痴呆症护工的影响和体验,这些护工负责为痴呆症患者提供护理。
方法:这是一项解释性顺序混合方法研究。在定量阶段,我们使用了《护工辅助技术体验问卷》和《简明健康调查问卷 12 项》(SF-12)对英国使用 AT 的痴呆症护工进行了在线和邮寄调查。在定性阶段,我们对调查的目的抽样受访者进行了深入的电话访谈,并使用解释现象学对调查结果进行了发展、比较和解释。
结果:该调查共纳入 201 名护工的数据。智能手机(45.5%)和平板电脑(45.0%)是最常使用的 AT。护工在护理痴呆症患者时主要使用多种 AT 来保障安全(78.5%)、进行交流(66.0%)和提醒(62.5%)。SF-12 表明,46-65 岁年龄组的护工和对 AT 不太满意的护工的心理健康评分较低,而与患者同住的护工和年龄较大的护工的身体健康评分较低。23 名护工参加了访谈,确定了 5 个主题和 14 个子主题。访谈有助于确认调查中关于 AT 对护工身心健康的影响的结果。访谈有助于描述护工对 AT 满意的原因;AT 在日常生活中的使用情况以及如何加强护患关系;以及如何通过扩大支持系统来增强使用 AT 的痴呆症患者的护理。
结论:本研究描述了在现实环境中使用 AT 的情况。AT 补充了社区中痴呆症患者的护理。适当使用 AT、护工的能力和获取 AT 的机会可以增强通过 AT 为护工和痴呆症患者提供的支持。
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