‘I Know Where this is Going and I Know it won’t Go Back’

Abstract

While it is generally agreed that any appraisal of quality of life should as far as possible rely on the individual’s own perspective, having people with dementia evaluate their own quality of life remains a much-debated issue. This article reports findings from a longitudinal study (ENABLE) designed to examine the impact of assistive technology on persons with dementia and their family caregivers. The study’s methodology sought to empower people with dementia by engaging them in the research process. Both quantitative and qualitative data on quality of life were collected from a sample of 92 persons with dementia before and after assistive technologies were introduced into their homes. This article presents preliminary baseline data on quality of life prior to when the home interventions (technologies) were introduced. Results demonstrate that people with dementia can competently participate in research on dementia and have more positive appraisals of their lives, roles and relationships than might be expected.