Impact of digital assistive technologies on the quality of life for people with dementia: A scoping review

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundDigital assistive technologies (DATs) have emerged as promising tools to support the daily life of people with dementia (PWD) by offering support in various aspects of daily life. Quality of life (QOL) is an important consideration when discussing the care of PWD in relation to their autonomy. Current research tends to concentrate either on specific categories of DATs, or provide a generic view. Therefore, it would be of essence to provide a review of the different kinds of DATs, and how they contribute to improving QOL for PWD.ObjectiveThis scoping review aimed to review DATs and their impact on QOL for PWD.MethodFor this scoping review a broad literature search was performed in Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, covering scientific literature from January 2013 and May 2023. Screening and data extraction were conducted, followed by quantitative and qualitative analysis using thematic analysis principles and Digital Therapeutics (DTx) Alliance categories for DAT grouping.ResultsThe literature search identified 6’083 records, with 1’056 duplicates. After screening, 4’560 full-texts were excluded, yielding 122 studies of different designs. The DATs were categorized intodigital therapeutics(n=109),patient monitoring(n=30),digital diagnostics(n=2),care support(n=2), andhealth system clinical software (n=1). These categories were identified to impact various aspects of QOL: preserving autonomy, engagement, and social interaction, health monitoring and promotion, improving activities of daily living, improving cognition, maintaining dignity, managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and safety/surveillance.ConclusionsVarious DATs offer extensive support, elevating the QOL of PWD.Digital therapeuticsare predominantly used for aging-in-place and independent living through assistance with daily tasks. Future research should focus on less-represented DHT categories, such ascare support, health & wellnessorsoftwaresolutions. Observing ongoing DAT developments and their long-term effects on QOL remains essential.Strengths and limitations of this studyThe study conducted an extensive search across five electronic databases spanning a decade to identify relevant literature on DATs and their impact on the QOL for PWD.By excluding conference proceedings, book chapters, pilot, and feasibility studies, the review might have missed ongoing or planned research that could offer insights into different DATs or QOL impacts.While the scoping review approach allowed for a broad overview, it didn’t assess the quality of included studies or intervention effectiveness, potentially introducing bias and limiting in-depth analysis.The study’s emphasis on patient-facing DATs could have introduced bias, highlightingdigital therapeuticsin the included literature while potentially overlooking other assistive technology categories.