Abstract
The aging of the population with increasing numbers of people with dementia challenges to develop and design technology that guides persons with memory disorders in their daily activities. In the project ”Value Creation in Smart Living Environment for Senior Citizen” funded by the Academy of Finland we study applications of smart technology in order to help persons with dementia to orientate in everyday life. The study was conducted in 2009/2010 in the dementia rehabilitation unit ‘Karpalokoti’ in Pyhäjärvi, Finland. We used ”Wizard of Oz” method, in which technology still under refining is simulated to appear as coherent entity for the user. The orientation advices were given through three modalities, visual (picture, text), audio and tactile (vibration) signals, of which two were used at time. The tested components of orientating in- and outdoors were getting off the ground, keeping on the right track, recognition of the landmarks, being guided back to the right track and recognition of the destination. Eleven subjects, five female, six male, aged 59–90 years (median 83 years), participated. Their degree of difficulty of dementia was between mild and severe (MMSEs 3–23) and walking condition ”from frail to hobby skier”. They and/or their relatives had given the informed consent for the study. Mostly the orientating with technology on a defined route succeeded with a few misinterpretations. The most common difficulties were getting off the ground, straying from the defined path, finding the right door and the attractions of real-life context like other people. The degree of difficulty of dementia didn’t seem to predict succeeding in orientating with the guiding system. Using the landmarks wasn’t as successful as using left, right and go straight on as guiding information. The ability to exploit the landmarks was dependent on the degree of dementia.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Abstract Book |
Subtitle of host publication | 20th Alzheimer European Conference |
Pages | 20-21 |
Publication status | Published - 2010 |
MoE publication type | Not Eligible |
Event | 20th Alzheimer European Conference - , Luxembourg Duration: 30 Sept 2010 → 2 Oct 2010 |
Conference
Conference | 20th Alzheimer European Conference |
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Country/Territory | Luxembourg |
Period | 30/09/10 → 2/10/10 |