What Do Family Caregivers of Alzheimer’s Disease Patients Desire in Smart Home Technologies?

V. Rialle; C. Ollivet; C. Guigui; C. Hervé

doi:10.3414/ME9102

Methods of Information in Medicine, Table of Contents

Methods Inf Med 2008; 47(01): 63-69
DOI: 10.3414/ME9102

For Discussion

Schattauer GmbH

What Do Family Caregivers of Alzheimer’s Disease Patients Desire in Smart Home Technologies?

Contrasted Results of a Wide Survey

V. Rialle

¹Laboratory TIMC-IMAG UMR UJF/CNRS 5525, Grenoble, France

,

C. Ollivet

²French association France-Alzheimer Seine-Saint Denis, Le Raincy, France; CODIFA (Association for the coordination of families of Alzheimer’s disease patients in the Île-de-France region)

,

C. Guigui

¹Laboratory TIMC-IMAG UMR UJF/CNRS 5525, Grenoble, France

,

C. Hervé

³Laboratory of Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University René Descartes, Paris, France

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Summary

Objectives: The authors’ aim was to investigate the representations, wishes, and fears of family caregivers (FCs) regarding 14 innovative technologies (IT) for care aiding and burden alleviation, given the severe physical and psychological stress induced by dementia care, and the very slow uptake of these technologies in our society.

Methods: A cluster sample survey based on a selfadministered questionnaire was carried out on data collected from 270 families of patients with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, located in the greater Paris area. Multiple Correspondence Analysis was used in addition to usual statistical tests to identify homogenous FCs clusters concerning the appreciation or rejection of the considered technologies.

Results: Two opposite clusters were clearly defined: FCs in favor of a substantial use of technology, and those rather or totally hostile. Furthermore the distributions of almost all the answers of appreciations were U-shaped. Significant relations were demonstrated between IT appreciation and FC‘s family or gender statuses (e.g., female FCs appreciated a tracking device for quick recovering of wandering patients more than male FCs: p = 0.0025, N = 195).

Conclusions: The study provides further evidence of the contrasted perception of technology in dementia care at home, and suggests the development of public debates based on rigorous assessment of practices and a strict ethical aim to protect against misuse.

Keywords

Smart homes - dementia care - Alzheimer’s disease - family caregivers - acceptability

Full Text

References

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