Powell, John, Gunn, Lee, Lowe, Pam, Sheehan, Bart, Griffiths, Frances and Clarke, Aileen, 1955-. (2010) New networked technologies and carers of people with dementia : an interview study. Ageing and Society, Vol.30 (No.6). pp. 1073-1088. ISSN 0144-686X

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Abstract

Dementia is one of the greatest contemporary health and social care challenges, and novel approaches to the care of its sufferers are needed. New information and communication technologies (ICT) have the potential to assist those caring for people with dementia, through access to networked information and support, tracking and surveillance. This article reports the views about such new technologies of 34 carers of people with dementia. We also held a group discussion with nine carers for respondent validation. The carers' actual use of new ICT was limited, although they thought a gradual increase in the use of networked technology in dementia care was inevitable but would bypass some carers who saw themselves as too old. Carers expressed a general enthusiasm for the benefits of ICT, but usually not for themselves, and they identified several key challenges including: establishing an appropriate balance between, on the one hand, privacy and autonomy and, on the other: maximising safety; establishing responsibility for and ownership of the equipment and who bears the costs; the possibility that technological help would mean a loss of valued personal contact; and the possibility that technology would substitute for existing services rather than be complementary. For carers and dementia sufferers to be supported, the expanding use of these technologies should be accompanied by intensive debate of the associated issues.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Health and Social Studies Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Mental Health and Wellbeing Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Caregivers -- Services for, Dementia, Mental health services -- Information technology
Journal or Publication Title:	Ageing and Society
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	0144-686X
Date:	August 2010
Volume:	Vol.30
Number:	No.6
Page Range:	pp. 1073-1088
Identification Number:	10.1017/S0144686X1000019X
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Funder:	Great Britain. Dept. of Health (DoH), National Institute for Health Research (Great Britain) (NIHR)
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/36478

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