Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK.
College of Nursing, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
Aging Ment Health. 2024 Jul;28(7):977-984. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2024.2301725. Epub 2024 Jan 12.
The aim of this study was to explore unpaid carers' experiences of supporting people with dementia to use social media. Unpaid carers ( = 234) responded to an online survey about their attitudes towards people with dementia using social media and any experiences supporting this usage. Responses to closed questions were analysed using frequency analysis; qualitative data were analysed thematically. Fifty-five carers (23.5%) cared for someone with dementia who used social media. Thematic analysis produced four themes: (1) carers as social media navigators; (2) social media supports care; (3) carers as social media guardians; and (4) labour-intensive work. Carers valued the social connectivity and stimulation social media provided but remained vigilant about online safety. They carefully managed the online experiences of people with dementia, balancing perceived benefits with safety, security, and caring demands. These findings shed light on the complexities of caring in the digital age. Many carers are supporting people with dementia in using social media, but there is little guidance on how best to do this. As older adults continue to embrace social media, carers, support organisations, and policymakers must adapt and work with technology developers to ensure safe and supportive online experiences.
本研究旨在探讨无偿照顾者在支持痴呆症患者使用社交媒体方面的体验。234 名无偿照顾者（234）对他们对使用社交媒体的痴呆症患者的态度以及支持这种使用的任何经验做出了回应。对封闭问题的回答使用频率分析进行了分析；定性数据进行了主题分析。55 名照顾者（23.5%）照顾使用社交媒体的痴呆症患者。主题分析产生了四个主题：（1）照顾者作为社交媒体导航员；（2）社交媒体支持护理；（3）照顾者作为社交媒体监护人；以及（4）劳动密集型工作。照顾者重视社交媒体提供的社交联系和刺激，但仍对在线安全保持警惕。他们小心翼翼地管理痴呆症患者的在线体验，在安全、保障和护理需求方面平衡感知到的好处。这些发现揭示了数字时代护理的复杂性。许多照顾者正在支持痴呆症患者使用社交媒体，但关于如何最好地做到这一点的指导很少。随着老年人继续接受社交媒体，照顾者、支持组织和政策制定者必须适应并与技术开发商合作，以确保安全和支持性的在线体验。
