The University of Worcester UK in 2011 published a very interesting article named "Evaluation of the Impact of Touchscreen Technology on People with Dementia and their Carers within Care Home Settings". The article by D Upton, P Upton, T Jones, K Jutla and D Brooker aimed to assess the effectiveness of the use of touchscreen on the lives of people with dementia and their carers.
They used interviews, focus groups, case studies and field observations to describe the experiences of the participants. The study went for 6 months.
At the end of the study the authors noted their were a number of benefits in the use of iPad's for those with dementia, their families and the staff that worked with them. These benefits included;
*Reminiscence-past events, family, experiences
*Memory recall-food choices
*Socialisation- including intergenerational socializing, with more children interacting with grandparents in the facility
*Resident focus-increased person centred practice by staff
*Increased quality of life
They also discussed some issues that were challenges to using the iPad's;
*Ergonomics- the weight of the iPad's
*Visual difficulty-reflection off the screen in certain light conditions
*Staff confidence with device
*Wifi connectivity at some facilities
These issues can be overcome by using some specific management strategies;
*Support the iPad on a table. There are a wide variety of iPad covers that include stands which can have the iPad either in a upright or side-on angle
*If a person is in a bed or daybed, there are iPad support pillows designed specifically for using iPad's on laps or reclined position. Standard cushions or pillows can also be used
*Use anti-glare screen covers and avoid sunlight or artificial light from coming in over the users shoulder
*Educate staff and family members on favourite apps so they can initiate activity
*If Wifi connectivity is unreliable (such as at my facility!) you can download apps at a reliable Wifi source and then return it to the facility. This does not assist with internet enabled apps, but at least it allows you to download apps to the iPad or tablet.
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