Perception and significance of an assistive technology intervention – the perspectives of relatives of persons with dementia

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine relatives’ perception of an assistive technology intervention aimed at persons with dementia (PwDs) and their relatives, and to examine whether, and how, experiences of the intervention process differed between relatives valuing the intervention to be of high, and relatives perceiving it to be of low significance. Method: A total of 47 relatives of PwDs within the Swedish Technology and Dementia project were interviewed telephonically using a modified version of the Patient perspective on Care and Rehabilitation process instrument. A total of 46 participants were divided into two groups depending on whether they valued the intervention to be of great significance (GS group; N = 33) or of some/no significance (SNS group; N = 13). Results: Several aspects of the intervention were perceived as highly important, e.g. being shown consideration and respect, and having somewhere to turn. The results indicate that relatives in the GS group perceived certain aspects of the intervention process as highly fulfilled to a larger extent than did relatives in the SNS group. Conclusions: This study illustrates how process evaluations can be used to increase the understanding and to identify improvement aspects of interventions.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Process evaluation is a good method for understanding how interventions can be improved – a keystone for quality work.

• Based on relatives’ ratings, a high fulfilment of the AT intervention process was associated with the perception of a significant outcome of the intervention.

• Assistive technology
• caregiving
• dementia
• process evaluation
• relatives

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology, the Alzheimer Society of Sweden, the Dementia Association in Sweden and all members of and participants in the Technology and Dementia project.

Declaration of interest

This study was partly funded by the Swedish Inheritance Fund. The authors were assigned the Technology and Dementia project by the Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology. Jenny Alwin has received reimbursement and funding for travel and living expenses from the Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology for conference participation. Jan Persson has received previous funding from the Swedish Institute of Assistive Technology for projects. The authors have retained full control over the data material, article content and decisions on publication.

This article has not been submitted to or published in any other scientific journal.

Notes

*An earlier version of this manuscript has previously been published in a PhD thesis by Jenny Alwin entitled Assessment of support interventions in dementia. Methodological and Empirical studies (2010), from Linköping University, Sweden.