Exploring the needs and user experience of people with early-stage dementia for mobile-health applications for cognitive and physical activation - a qualitative study in Germany (Preprint)

Abstract

Background: The demand for support among people with dementia (PWD) is increasing with a diminishing capacity for providing care. As the trend of aging at home continues, technologies can help maintain PWD's autonomy, enabling them to live independently for as long as possible. Furthermore, digital applications can have numerous positive biopsychosocial effects on the health of PWD, including physical, cognitive, and social functions.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the needs and requirements of people with dementia regarding a prototype application for the promotion of cognitive and physical activity on a tablet computer.

Methods: We conducted a methodical triangulation combining semi-structured interviews with people with dementia, as part of the testing of a tablet-based application, with overt external participant observations during usage. The chosen method for analysis was qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz.

Results: The participants had varying abilities and prior experience with technology. While most participants were initially hesitant to use the tablet independently, they were more willing to try it after receiving encouragement. Some individuals required more assistance during usage than others, indicating the need for individualized adjustments. Connecting biographically to the content is crucial for cognitive tasks to minimize overload for PWD. The Participants appreciated social interaction with the researchers and direct communication. Therefore, it is important to consider the role of personal support when developing and implementing technology.

Conclusions: The successful implementation and use of technology require acceptance and a working interaction between PWD, technology, and caregiver (CG) or caring relatives (CR) acting as personal support. The acceptance of the application was found to be less influenced by the types and presentation of tasks, but rather by their content and the social interaction. Ideally, PWD would receive one-to-one support during use. However, this requires additional time and financial resources, which are often limited in care settings.