School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Int J Older People Nurs. 2023 May;18(3):e12539. doi: 10.1111/opn.12539. Epub 2023 Apr 10.
Older people living in long-term care homes are particularly susceptible to loneliness and social isolation, which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated further. 'Tochie' is a smart audio device that allows family members to remotely record and send messages, such as daily reminders and comforting recordings, to their loved ones in LTC settings. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using Tochie to improve resident-family connections, and to investigate user experience, impact and lessons learned.
Participants included 10 residents, nine family members and six care staff from two LTC homes in British Columbia, Canada. A Tochie was provided to each resident to use with their family members over a 4-week intervention period. The research team provided support and gathered feedback from family members and care staff through weekly phone and email correspondence. Qualitative descriptive design was used, including pre- and post-intervention focus groups and interviews held via Zoom and phone to gather participants' experiences with Tochie. Themes were identified through thematic analysis.
Three themes were identified: (1) Facilitating emotional connection, (2) Using the device in creative and personalised ways and (3) Structural challenges and supports. Based on these findings, recommendations for future research and practice are provided.
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a rethinking of what it means to 'stay in touch' with loved ones in LTC settings. This study found that Tochie has opened up new opportunities for family connection and provided emotional support for residents. The results of this study offer valuable insights into the implementation of assistive technology in LTC homes to support resident care.
长期护理院中的老年人特别容易感到孤独和与社会脱节，而 COVID-19 大流行进一步加剧了这种情况。“Tochie”是一种智能音频设备，它允许家庭成员远程录制和发送消息，例如日常提醒和安慰录音，发送给长期护理机构中的亲人。本研究旨在评估使用 Tochie 改善居民与家人联系的可行性和可接受性，并调查用户体验、影响和经验教训。
参与者包括加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省两家长期护理院的 10 名居民、9 名家庭成员和 6 名护理人员。在 4 周的干预期间，每位居民都提供了一个 Tochie 与家人一起使用。研究团队通过每周的电话和电子邮件联系，为家庭成员和护理人员提供支持并收集反馈。采用定性描述设计，包括通过 Zoom 和电话进行的干预前后焦点小组和访谈，以收集参与者使用 Tochie 的体验。通过主题分析确定主题。
确定了三个主题：（1）促进情感联系，（2）以创造性和个性化的方式使用设备，（3）结构挑战和支持。基于这些发现，提出了未来研究和实践的建议。
COVID-19 大流行促使人们重新思考在长期护理环境中与亲人“保持联系”的含义。本研究发现，Tochie 为家庭联系开辟了新的机会，并为居民提供了情感支持。这项研究的结果为在长期护理院实施辅助技术以支持居民护理提供了有价值的见解。
