Research and Development, MapHabit, Inc., Atlanta, GA, USA.
Program Evaluation, CaringKind, New York, NY, USA.
Clin Interv Aging. 2022 Dec 23;17:1885-1892. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S387255. eCollection 2022.
Efficacy of assistive technology continues to evolve as a means of helping individuals with cognitive and intellectual disabilities, asserting the importance of its research. We report outcomes of a six-week randomized control feasibility study in a small cohort of 16 family caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. An experimental group of seven family caregivers used visual mapping software on smart devices (step-by-step pictures, audio, and videos instructing how to complete a task) to support carrying out activities of daily living with their care recipients. In comparison, control group of nine family caregivers used smart devices to access and view educational videos focused on dementia care. After a six-week study, compared to caregivers using educational videos, caregivers using visual maps assistive technology reported higher satisfaction of use and stronger recommendation of use to others. Caregivers using visual maps technology also exhibited more improved quality of life scores and improved completion of activities of daily living for their dementia care recipients, as well as reduced caregiver burden scores compared to the caregivers in the control group. These promising findings show that the use of assistive technology is feasible in the home setting and suggest time is ripe for undertaking systematic studies of assistive technology's potential to advance effective behavioral interventions in dementia home and family settings.
辅助技术的疗效不断发展,成为帮助认知和智力残疾人士的一种手段,强调了对其进行研究的重要性。我们报告了一项为期六周的随机对照可行性研究的结果,该研究纳入了 16 名阿尔茨海默病和相关痴呆症患者的家庭照顾者的小队列。实验组的 7 名家庭照顾者使用智能设备上的视觉映射软件(逐步图片、音频和视频,指导如何完成任务)来支持他们的照顾对象进行日常生活活动。相比之下,对照组的 9 名家庭照顾者使用智能设备访问和观看专注于痴呆症护理的教育视频。经过六周的研究,与使用教育视频的照顾者相比,使用视觉地图辅助技术的照顾者报告说,他们对技术的使用更满意,更强烈地推荐给他人。与对照组的照顾者相比,使用视觉地图技术的照顾者还表现出更高的生活质量评分和对其痴呆症照顾对象的日常生活活动完成情况的改善,以及照顾者负担评分的降低。这些有希望的发现表明,辅助技术在家中使用是可行的,并表明现在是时候对辅助技术在痴呆症家庭和家庭环境中进行有效行为干预的潜力进行系统研究了。