The perceptions of cognitively impaired patients and their caregivers of a home telecare system

Assistive and telecare technologies have been developed to support older adults with cognitive impairments, as well as their caregivers, from their homes. The way potential users perceive telecare and smart home systems plays a key role in their acceptance of this new technology. We evaluate the acc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical devices (Auckland, N.Z.) N.Z.), 2015-01, Vol.8 (default), p.21-29
Main Authors: Mehrabian, Shima, Extra, Jocelyne, Wu, Ya-Huei, Pino, Maribel, Traykov, Latchezar, Rigaud, Anne-Sophie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alzheimer's disease
Care and treatment
Caregivers
Cognitive ability
Cognitive disorders
Dementia
Design
Elderly
Frailty
Health aspects
Home care
Management
Mental disorders
Older people
Original Research
Patients
Perceptions
Practice
Quality of life
Smart houses
Spread spectrum
Telemedicine
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Summary:Assistive and telecare technologies have been developed to support older adults with cognitive impairments, as well as their caregivers, from their homes. The way potential users perceive telecare and smart home systems plays a key role in their acceptance of this new technology. We evaluate the acceptance of home telecare technologies among patients suffering from cognitive impairment and their caregivers. Prototypes of telecare devices were developed to demonstrate their features and capabilities and to train patients, families, and health care professionals in their use. We conducted semistructured interviews to elicit the perceptions of 30 patients with mild cognitive impairment, 32 patients with Alzheimer's disease, and 30 caregivers, regarding the risks and advantages of home telecare and smart houses. Survey results reflected participants' largely positive reactions to these technologies. Regarding home telecare, the cognitive stimulation program earned the highest proportion of positive responses, followed by the devices' care of emergencies. The participants generally agreed that home telecare and smart houses could significantly improve their quality of life. However, some technical and ethical concerns, such as the way of provision, installation, and monitoring of the systems, were reported to be in need of addressing before implementation of this system.
ISSN:1179-1470
1179-1470
DOI:10.2147/MDER.S70520