Do you observe what I perceive? The relationship between two perspectives on the ability of people with cognitive impairments to use everyday technology

Abstract

Objectives: Everyday technologies (ETs) can be challenging to use, particularly for older adults with cognitive impairments. This study evaluated the relationship between the self-perceived ability to use ET and observable performance of self-chosen and familiar, but challenging ETs in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia.

Method: A self-perceived report, the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (S-ETUQ), and a structured observational tool, the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment (META), assessing the perceived and observed ability to use ET, were used in 41 people with MCI and 38 people with dementia. Correlations were investigated with non-parametric statistical tests.

Results: In the dementia group, self-perceived report and observational scores correlated on a significant medium level (R_s=0.44, p = 0.006). In the MCI group, no significant correlation was found.

Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest the ability of older adults with cognitive impairments to use ETs can be depicted with self-perceived reports as well as with observations. However, the combination of both approaches is recommended to get a comprehensive picture. While the S-ETUQ provides a broad picture of the use, presence and relevance of technologies in an individual’s life, the META describes a specific human-technology interaction in detail. Furthermore, the results suggest people with early dementia retain the ability and insight to accurately reflect on their own ability to use ET, emphasizing the need to include their experiences in research and clinical work.

Keywords:

• Everyday technology
• mild cognitive impairment
• dementia
• self-perceived report
• observation

Acknowledgement

First of all, the authors would like to thank the participants who generously shared their use of everyday technology for us. We also want to thank the professionals who helped us to recruit participants. Furthermore, thanks go to Cecilia Bråkenhielm, Monica Pantzar and Annika Persson Vasiliou for data collection and management. Finally, the authors wish to acknowledge the support from the Swedish Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE) as the funder. The icons in Figure 2 are made by freepik from www.flaticon.com.

Disclosure statement

None of the authors have any disclosure of interest to report.

Additional information

Funding

The study was mainly supported by the Swedish Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE) (Grant 2013-2104). Sara Bartels’ contribution is funded by the Marie Curie Innovative Training Network action (ITN) action, H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015, under grant agreement number 676265. Jenny Jamnadas-Khoda was supported by an INTERDEM Academy Travel fellowship as part of the Promoting Independence in Dementia (PRIDE) study funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (Grant ES/L001802/1).

Notes on contributors

S. L. Bartels

Sara L. Bartels was involved in the analysis, interpretation of the results and writing of the article.

S. Assander

Susanne Assander was involved in the preliminary analysis, interpretation and writing of the manuscript.

A.-H. Patomella

Ann-Helen Patomella assisted with the design and writing of the manuscript.

J. Jamnadas-Khoda

Jenny Jamnadas-Khoda was involved in the analysis and interpretation of the results, and drafting the manuscript.

C. Malinowsky

Camilla Malinowsky was involved in the design, analysis, interpretation and writing of the manuscript.