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The efficiency of using everyday technological devices by older adults: the role of cognitive functions
- Authors:
- SLEGERS Karin, VAN BOXTELL Martin P. J., JOLLES Jelle
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 29(2), February 2009, pp.309-325.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
To test the role of cognitive abilities in performing technological tasks, the authors designed the Technological Transfer Test (TTT). This new and ecologically valid test comprises eight technological tasks that are common in modern life (operating a CD player, a telephone, an ATM, a train-ticket vending machine, a microwave-oven, an alarm clock, a smart card charging device and a telephone voice menu). The TTT and a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests were administered to 236 healthy adults aged 64–75 years living in the Netherlands on two separate occasions. The results demonstrated that the performance time for five of the eight tasks was predicted by cognitive abilities. The exact cognitive functions affecting technological performance varied by the technological task. Among several measures and components of cognition, the speed of information processing and cognitive flexibility had the greatest predictive power. The results imply that age-related cognitive decline has a profound effect on the interaction between older adults and technological appliances.
Usability of a new electronic assistive device for community-dwelling persons with mild dementia
- Authors:
- MEILAND Franka J.M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(5), July 2012, pp.584-591.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
COGKNOW is a three-year project supported by the Inclusion unit of the European Commission’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) Research Programme. The project commenced in September 2006 and concludes in late summer of 2009. The goal of COGKNOW is to develop an integrated cognitive prosthetic solution that supports people with mild dementia in four areas: memory, social contact, recreational activities and experiences of safety. A user participatory method was applied to evaluate the development process of the COGKNOW Day Navigator (CDN), and consisted of three iterative 1-year cycles with field tests in Amsterdam, Belfast and Luleå. In the successive cycles 16, 14 and 12 persons with dementia and their carers participated. Data on usability were collected by means of interviews, observations, questionnaires, logging and diaries. The CDN prototype consists of a touch screen, a mobile device, sensors and actuators. The evaluation showed that persons with dementia and carers valued the CDN overall as user-friendly and useful. CDN was expected to be a useful tool for supporting community-dwelling persons with mild dementia and their carers. Implication for practice are discussed.
Mediating effects of psychosocial factors on concerns about falling and daily activity in a multicomponent cognitive behavioral group intervention
- Authors:
- ZIJLSTRA G.A. Rixt, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 15(1), January 2011, pp.68-77.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This study explored the mediating effects of psychosocial factors on concerns about falling and daily activity in a cognitive behavioural group intervention. Five hundred and forty older people, with concerns about falling and activity avoidance, participated in a randomised controlled trial evaluating this intervention. Control beliefs, self-efficacy beliefs, outcome expectations, social interactions, and concerns about falling and daily activity were assessed at baseline, and at 2, 8, and 14 months. Moderate statistically significant effects of the intervention on the potential mediators were found at nearly all follow-up assessments. Separate psychosocial factors showed modest mediating effects on the outcomes. Overall, the multicomponent cognitive behavioural intervention improved control beliefs, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and social interactions. These variables mediated the association between the intervention and concerns about falling or daily activity in older people. The authors suggest that this study may enable further improvement and development of interventions to reduce concerns about falling for old people.
Limitations in mobility: experiences of visually impaired older people
- Authors:
- BROUWER Diana M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(10), October 2008, pp.414-421.
- Publisher:
- Sage
This paper presents a new insight into the limitations experienced by older people with reduced vision in daily life activities. With an ageing population, increasing numbers of Dutch people are affected by visual impairment. In contrast to other European countries, occupational therapists in the Netherlands do work with this specific group, but little research has as yet been conducted in this field. This study explores in detail the mobility experiences of 10 older people with a visual impairment. Each participant was interviewed twice; the data were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Giorgi's method of empirical phenomenology. The participants' severely limited mobility clearly influenced their occupational choices, space and independence, with a particularly negative change in activities of daily living. They attended fewer social activities and became more dependent on assistance, which made them anxious. Visual impairments were often misunderstood by others and the absence of facial recognition was experienced as a severe barrier to social interaction. Some specific difficulties that visually impaired older people may experience are now more transparent, which might inspire occupational therapists in other countries to work in this field.
Exploring the relation between positive emotions and the functional status of older adults living independently: a systematic review
- Authors:
- CABRITA Miriam, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 21(11), 2017, pp.1121-1128.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Literature suggests that positive emotions positively influence physiological parameters but their relation to functioning in the daily life of older adults living independently remains unclear. The present work aims to investigate the relation between positive emotions and functional status in daily life of older people living independently. Method: A systematic literature review was conducted using the PubMed, PsycINFO and Scopus electronic databases. Included works were peer-reviewed empirical studies that analysed the relation between positive emotions and ability to perform activities of daily living with older adults living independently. Results: After removal of duplicates, 10 out of 963 papers met the inclusion criteria. Cross-sectional studies (n = 6) provided limited evidence about a relation between positive emotions and functioning in daily life. However, longitudinal studies (n = 4) provide significant evidence for an interaction between the two factors, suggesting that time influences this interaction. Conclusion: The variety on the design and samples of the studies included in this review does not allow a cohesive conclusion of the results. Nevertheless, limited evidence suggests that higher frequency in the experience of positive emotions might be associated with lower functional limitations. The issue of causality in emotions-functioning remains unclear from the review. Further observational studies are highly recommended, supported by innovative technologies. (Publisher abstract)
Activity involvement and quality of life of people at different stages of dementia in long term care facilities
- Authors:
- SMIT Dieneke, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 20(1), 2016, pp.100-109.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Involvement in activities is assumed to positively influence the quality of life of people with dementia, yet activity provision in long-term care remains limited. This study aims to provide more insight into the value of activity involvement for domains of the quality of life of long-term dementia care residents, taking resident characteristics and cognitive status into account. Method: Data were derived from 144 long-term care facilities participating in the second measurement (2010/2011) of the living arrangements for dementia study. Amongst 1144 residents, the relationship between time involved in activities (activity pursuit patterns; RAI-MDS) and quality of life (Qualidem) was studied using multilevel linear regression analyses. Analyses were adjusted for residents’ age, gender, neuropsychiatric symptoms, ADL dependency and cognition. To check for effect modification of cognition, interactions terms of the variables activity involvement and cognitive status were added to the analyses. Results: Despite resident's cognitive status, their activity involvement was significantly related to better scores on care relationship, positive affect, restless tense behaviour, social relations, and having something to do. A negative relationship existed between the activity involvement and positive self-image. The explained variance in the quality of life between residents caused by the activity involvement was small. Conclusion: Activity involvement seems to be a small yet important contributor to higher well-being in long-term care resident at all stages of dementia. Adjusting activities to individual preferences and capabilities might enlarge this relationship. Further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis, using measurement instruments less sensitive to recall bias and differentiating between the active and passive activity involvement. (Publisher abstract)
Individual determinants of task division in older adults' mixed care networks
- Authors:
- JACOBS Marianne T., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 22(1), 2014, pp.57-66.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Older adults in need of long-term care often receive help from both informal and formal caregivers. The division of tasks between these different types of caregivers may vary among such mixed care networks. Traditional models of task division suggest that formal and informal caregivers may either supplement each other or specialise in the care activities performed. This study explores division of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) andI Instrumental ADL (IADL) between informal and formal caregivers of older people in the Netherlands, using data collected in 2007 on 458 mixed care situations. Four types of task divisions of informal and formal care are distinguished: the complementation model [neither Activities of Daily Living (ADL) nor instrumental ADL (IADL) tasks shared, 14%], the supplementation model (both ADL and IADL tasks shared, 39%) and informal and formal specialisation (one type of task shared, one type of task not shared, 27% and 20% respectively). Analyses show that the intensity of care provision, the informal caregivers' motives and the presence of privately paid help – more than care receiver's health – are related to type of task division with formal care. For example, when the informal caregiver provides more hours of help and out of a strong personal bond, the likelihood of informal specialisation increases, whereas the likelihood of formal specialisation decreases. When privately paid help is present, the complementation model is more likely, whereas the supplementation model is less likely to be found. Results are discussed regarding the differential consequences for co-ordination and co-operation in mixed care networks. (Edited publisher abstract)
Comparing day care at green care farms and at regular day care facilities with regard to their effects on functional performance of community-dwelling older people with dementia
- Authors:
- BRUIN Simone de, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Dementia: the International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 11(4), July 2012, pp.503-519.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Day care at green care farms (GCFs) is a new care model for community-dwelling older people with dementia. GCFs are farms that combine agricultural production with care services for people with care needs, including frail older people, mentally disabled people and psychiatric patients. Currently, there are over 900 GCFs in the Netherlands. About 10% of them offer day care for older people with dementia. In view of the more physical and normal daily life activities available at GCFs than at regular day care facilities, this study investigated whether functional decline differed between subjects from both day care settings. In this observational cohort study, primary caregivers of 47 subjects from GCFs and 41 subjects from regular day care facilities rated the subjects’ functional performance three times during one year. They also provided information on the subjects’ diseases and medication use. Generally, no significant change over time in functional performance, the number of diseases and the number of medications was observed, and no differences in these rates of change were found between subjects from both day care settings. This study suggests that GCFs are not more effective in maintaining functional performance or slowing down its decline in community-dwelling older people with dementia than regular day care facilities.
The relation between mood, activity, and interaction in long-term dementia care
- Authors:
- BEERENS Hanneke C., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 22(1), 2018, pp.26-32.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objective: The aim of the study is to identify the degree of association between mood, activity engagement, activity location, and social interaction during everyday life of people with dementia (PwD) living in long-term care facilities. Method: An observational study using momentary assessments was conducted. For all 115 participants, 84 momentary assessments of mood, engagement in activity, location during activity, and social interaction were carried out by a researcher using the tablet-based Maastricht Electronic Daily Life Observation-tool. Results: A total of 9660 momentary assessments were completed. The mean age of the 115 participants was 84 and most (75%) were women. A negative, neutral, or positive mood was recorded during 2%, 25%, and 73% of the observations, respectively. Positive mood was associated with engagement in activities, doing activities outside, and social interaction. The type of activity was less important for mood than the fact that PwD were engaged in an activity. Low mood was evident when PwD attempted to have social interaction but received no response. Conclusion: Fulfilling PwD's need for occupation and social interaction is consistent with a person-centred dementia care focus and should have priority in dementia care. (Publisher abstract)
Dealing with daily challenges in dementia (deal-id study): an experience sampling study to assess caregiver functioning in the flow of daily life
- Authors:
- KNIPPENBERG R.J.M. van, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(9), 2017, pp.949-958.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objective: Accurate assessment of caregiver functioning is of great importance to gain better insight into daily caregiver functioning and to prevent high levels of burden. The experience sampling methodology (ESM) is an innovative approach to assess subjective experiences and behaviour within daily life. In this study, the feasibility of the ESM in spousal caregivers of people with dementia was examined, and the usability of ESM data for clinical and scientific practice was demonstrated. Methods: Thirty-one caregivers collected ESM data for six consecutive days using an electronic ESM device that generated ten random alerts per day. After each alert, short reports of the caregiver's current mood state and context were collected. Feasibility was assessed by examining compliance and subjective experiences with the ESM. Usability was described using group and individual ESM data. Results: Participants on average completed 78.8% of the reports. One participant completed less than 33% of the reports and was excluded from data analyses. Participants considered the ESM device to be a user-friendly device in which they could accurately describe their feelings and experiences. The ESM was not experienced as too burdensome. Zooming in on the ESM data, personalised patterns of mood and contextual factors were revealed. Conclusions: The ESM is a feasible method to assess caregiver functioning. In addition to standard retrospective measurements, it offers new opportunities to gain more insight into the daily lives of people with dementia and their caregivers. It also provides new possibilities to tailor caregiver support interventions to the specific needs of the caregiver. (Edited publisher abstract)