PURPOSE: To develop a design concept for an easy-to-use videophone for people with dementia and to evaluate the design and need of such a product. METHOD: In this project, we have used an inclusive design approach that includes the target users in the design process. In an earlier study, the need of a videophone was examined and a requirement specification was developed. In this study, a preliminary design concept was developed. Five focus groups of people with dementia, significant others and occupational therapists working with people with dementia were formed to capture their experiences, expectations and thoughts concerning the videophone and the design concept. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. FINDINGS: The participants pointed out that the design of the videophone should be flexible in order to meet the needs of people with dementia, be easy-to-use and not look like assistive technology. In order to facilitate learning, the videophone should be introduced in an early stage of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: A videophone has potentials to enable videophone calls without assistance, add quality in communication and provide possibilities for monitoring. Further work will focus on developing a prototype to be empirically tested by people with dementia and significant others. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: An easy-to-use videophone was viewed as an important device that could support people with dementia in making videophone calls without assistance. It was also viewed as a product that significant others could use for monitoring the person with dementia, for example to judge the well-being of the person. But monitoring should be used with caution and not without the consent of the person with dementia. It was viewed as important that the videophone be introduced in an early stage of the disease in order to facilitate learning, so that the person can get used to the new way of making telephone calls and incorporate the new habit in his/her routines. In order to motivate people with dementia to start using a videophone, it was recommended that the videophone should be introduced as a product which is a pleasure to use, and not as a compensation for impairment or to solve a problem.
PURPOSE: To develop a design concept for an easy-to-use videophone for people with dementia and to evaluate the design and need of such a product. METHOD: In this project, we have used an inclusive design approach that includes the target users in the design process. In an earlier study, the need of a videophone was examined and a requirement specification was developed. In this study, a preliminary design concept was developed. Five focus groups of people with dementia, significant others and occupational therapists working with people with dementia were formed to capture their experiences, expectations and thoughts concerning the videophone and the design concept. Data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. FINDINGS: The participants pointed out that the design of the videophone should be flexible in order to meet the needs of people with dementia, be easy-to-use and not look like assistive technology. In order to facilitate learning, the videophone should be introduced in an early stage of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: A videophone has potentials to enable videophone calls without assistance, add quality in communication and provide possibilities for monitoring. Further work will focus on developing a prototype to be empirically tested by people with dementia and significant others. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: An easy-to-use videophone was viewed as an important device that could support people with dementia in making videophone calls without assistance. It was also viewed as a product that significant others could use for monitoring the person with dementia, for example to judge the well-being of the person. But monitoring should be used with caution and not without the consent of the person with dementia. It was viewed as important that the videophone be introduced in an early stage of the disease in order to facilitate learning, so that the person can get used to the new way of making telephone calls and incorporate the new habit in his/her routines. In order to motivate people with dementia to start using a videophone, it was recommended that the videophone should be introduced as a product which is a pleasure to use, and not as a compensation for impairment or to solve a problem.
Authors: Maria Haak; Björn Slaug; Frank Oswald; Steven M Schmidt; Joseph M Rimland; Signe Tomsone; Thomas Ladö; Torbjörn Svensson; Susanne Iwarsson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2015-03-02 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Julia Rosemary Thorpe; Kristoffer V H Rønn-Andersen; Paulina Bień; Ali Gürcan Özkil; Birgitte Hysse Forchhammer; Anja M Maier Journal: Healthc Technol Lett Date: 2016-11-02
Authors: Sandra Suijkerbuijk; Henk Herman Nap; Lotte Cornelisse; Wijnand A IJsselsteijn; Yvonne A W de Kort; Mirella M N Minkman Journal: J Alzheimers Dis Date: 2019 Impact factor: 4.472
Authors: Leslie María Contreras-Somoza; Eider Irazoki; José Miguel Toribio-Guzmán; Isabel de la Torre-Díez; Angie Alejandra Diaz-Baquero; Esther Parra-Vidales; María Victoria Perea-Bartolomé; Manuel Ángel Franco-Martín Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2021-04-22