Leveraging everyday technology for people living with dementia : a case study
Date
09/12/2014Keywords
Metadata
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Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the self-described “journey” of a person with dementia (Brian; author 3) in his re-learning of old technologies and learning of new ones and the impact this had on his life. Design/methodology/approach – This is a single case study detailing the participant’s experiences collaborating with a researcher to co-create methods of facilitating this learning process, which he documented in the form of an online blog and diary entries. These were analysed using NVivo to reveal the key themes. Findings – Brian was able to relearn previously used technologies and learn two new ones. This lead to an overarching theme of positive outlook on life supported by person-centredness, identity and technology, which challenged negative perceptions about dementia. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides an example of how learning and technology improved the life of one person with dementia. By sharing the approach the authors hope to encourage others to embrace the challenge of designing and developing innovative solutions for people with a dementia diagnosis by leveraging both current mainstream technology and creating novel bespoke interventions for dementia. Originality/value – The personal perspective of a person with dementia and his experiences of (re-) learning provide a unique insight into the impact of technology on his life.
Citation
Astell , A J , Malone , B , Williams , G , Hwang , F & Ellis , M 2014 , ' Leveraging everyday technology for people living with dementia : a case study ' , Journal of Assistive Technologies , vol. 8 , no. 4 , pp. 164-176 . https://doi.org/10.1108/JAT-01-2014-0004
Publication
Journal of Assistive Technologies
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1754-9450Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JAT-01-2014-0004
Description
This research was supported by grant no. TS/10030/1 from the Technology Strategy Board to the first and fourth authors.Collections
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