Muistisairaiden henkilöiden teknologia-avusteinen itsenäinen kotona-asuminen ja turvallisuudentunteen tukeminen

Along with the ageing population, the amount of people with memory disorders is growing. It is becoming more common that a person with memory disorder is living independently at home. This is also an focal aim in social and health politics. Memory disorders, and the lower functional capability can be a cause of feeling of insecurity. Living safely at home and feeling secure at home needs diverse services and support at home. Technologies can also support the feeling of security at home and broaden the services given at home, and help in social interac-tion. Technologies can also support the participation of relatives in care.
TuTunKo -project aims to increase the feeling of security of the home-dwelling people living with memory disorder and support their self-care and independent living by means of digital services. The project is funded by TEKES Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation and EU European Regional Development Fund. It is related to INKA Inno-vative Cities and Leverage from the EU 2014-2020 programmes. The aim of the project is to find out, how the feeling of security of people with mild cognitive disorders is formed and how the feeling of security can be sup-ported at home.
Feeling of security of a person with mild cognitive impairments is formed by following factors related individual, environment, health and functional capability. These factors can either strengthen or weaken the feeling of securi-ty. Older persons needs related to feeling of security can be categorized into four sub-areas: 1) attainability of help, 2) control of own life, 3) participation in society, 4) accident prevention.
To study how technologies can support feeling of security the Life-Based Design -method is used. Physical, psy-chological and socio-cultural factors are listed and possible technological tools affecting on those factors were collected. Ethical considerations are also in an important role when designing technologies for supporting inde-pendent living of people with memory disorders.
Estimating the effectiveness of technological solutions should be done before a technical solution is taken into use, continuously during the use of technology and after the use of technology. Effectiveness of a technology should not only include cost estimations, but include also quality of life factors of the user and relatives, and work satisfaction factors of the care personnel.