Assistive Technology to Support Dementia Management: Protocol for a Scoping Review of Reviews (Preprint)

Abstract

In Canada, more than 60% of persons living with dementia (PLWD) reside in their own homes, and over 25% rely heavily on their care partners (i.e., family members or friends) for daily activities. Assistive technology (AT) is a key dementia management strategy, contributing to sustained health and social support in home and community settings. AT comprises assistive products and services required for safe and effective use. PLWD and their care partners often require multiple types of AT to meet their needs and maintain their dignity and autonomy. AT for dementia management is rapidly developing with abundant scientific literature, which can present a challenge in efficiently navigating and extracting valuable insights for policy-making and personal decision-making.

This scoping review of reviews aims to synthesize review-level evidence from published scientific literature on AT to support dementia management for PLWD and their care partners in their homes and communities. Research gaps in knowledge and areas for further investigation into the use and access of AT will be identified. This review will provide an overview of AT types and characteristics, and capture outcome measures and tools to lay the groundwork for a future systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of AT in dementia management.

This review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute’s framework for conducting scoping reviews and the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). Six electronic databases will be searched. All articles will be screened according to the ‘Population–Concept–Context (PCC)’ framework for eligible studies. The population includes PLWD and their care partners, and healthcare professionals (e.g., therapist) who work with them. AT and Self-Help Devices of many types are included in the Concept. Context includes homes and communities. A data charting template will guide data extraction, charting, and summarization. A descriptive numerical summary and an overview of the findings will be presented. The following data will be extracted: (1) article information (e.g., author, year), (2) article characteristics (e.g., review type), (3) types of AT and AT characteristics, (4) setting and population characteristics, and (5) key review outcomes and conclusions.

This review is in the title and abstract screening stage. A total of 10,978 unique citations were identified across the six electronic databases. This review is expected to be completed by August 2024.

This review will provide a comprehensive understanding and documentation of the published scientific literature on AT to support dementia management. Findings from this review are expected to provide evidence-based insights on the complexities of AT types, uses, availability, and access. The author group's diverse national and international perspectives may contribute to knowledge exchange and influence standards to improve PLWD's daily function, safety, and well-being.