Older people with dementia have less use of aids at home

People in Sweden live longer and more are affected by dementia. Many people with dementia want to stay at home, which is possible thanks to home care and various aids.

In order to make life easier for seniors living at home, there are, for example, memory support aids, hearing aids, communication boards, talking book players, stove screens, toilet enhancers, wheelchairs and walkers.

In a new study, researchers compared the choice, use, and utility of assistive devices for older adults — with and without dementia.

We also looked at the links between assistive device use among home care users and their experiences of home care, loneliness, and security, says researcher Johann Burg at the University of Dalarna.

Experience more insecurity

The study showed that home care users with dementia were less involved in the choice of aids and had less benefit from them. Users of assistive devices regardless of dementia diagnosis were more distressed, anxious, anxious, and lonely.

They felt more insecure living in the home with the support of the domestic service and experienced to a large extent that the staff did not take into account their opinions and desires about how to implement the help. They also felt they were treated worse.

It is important to increase the participation of the elderly in the selection of assistive devices in order to increase their usefulness. It is also important to investigate how to ease their anxiety and reduce loneliness. A home service needs to make sure it takes into account the opinions and desires of users of assistive devices as much as other home service users and treats everyone equally, says Johann Burg.

Increases the risk of accidents

The findings raise concerns that the needs of assistive devices among home care users with dementia are not being adequately met, particularly in terms of vision and movement.

Because dementia increases the risk of falling and injuring themselves at home, it is important that they have the aids they need to see well and move around safely, says Johann Burg.

The findings also suggest that more attention should be paid to personal needs when investigating home care and assistive devices, as well as when providing home care to people with assistive devices.

Scientific study:

Experiences of assistive products and home care among elderly clients with or without dementia in SwedenAnd the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Contact:

Johann Burg, Senior Lecturer in Medical Sciences at Dalarna University,
[email protected]