Using Technology to Support People Living with Dementia in Canada

Full study title: Dementia Management in Canada: Assistive Technology Products and Services Bundles

What is the study about?

Assistive technology products are things that help you function or carry out activities more easily by yourself. Products could be any device, equipment, instrument, or software. Examples are mobile phone apps that provide calendar reminders, switches that turn off stoves, or walkers. Assistive technology services help people choose, use, and take care of assistive technology products. These services include checking what a person needs, teaching them how to use the product/device, and fixing it if it breaks.

If these products and services could be bundled as one unit, it may help persons with dementia get them more easily and reduce costs. The purpose of this study is to learn about experiences with accessing and using products and services for managing dementia. This information will help us to know what should be included in product bundles.   

Eligibility- Who can participate?

Open to people living with dementia, caregivers/care partners, and healthcare providers

• People living with dementia:
  • Are a Canadian Resident who can speak English or French
  • Live at home (not a care home)
  • Able to respond to questions about yourself and assistive technology product (ex.  mobile phone apps that provide calendar reminders, switches that turn off stoves, or walkers) and service use
  • Have a score of 25 or below on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (will be conducted by research team prior to interview)
  • Able to provide consent (or assent, with substitute decision providing consent)
• Caregivers/Care Partners
  • Are a Canadian resident who can speak English or French
  • Family or friend who provides 5 or more hours of support a week for someone with dementia living at home (not a care home)
  • Able to respond to questions about yourself and your assistive technology product and service use
  • Able to provide consent
• Healthcare Providers
  • Are a Canadian resident who can speak English or French
  • A healthcare provider (such as a physician, nurse, therapist, social worker, occupational therapist, physical therapist etc.) who works with persons living with dementia

Time Requirement

Participants are required to complete an initial interview (people living with dementia) or survey (care partners and healthcare providers). They also have the option to participate in follow-up interviews over three years.

People living with dementia:

• 15-minute Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) prior to participation to confirm eligibility
• Eligible individuals will take part in an initial 90-minute interview
• Those who choose to participate longitudinally will complete three additional 30-minute interviews over the following three years, with a MoCA administered before each session Participants may stop participating at any time.

Care partners and healthcare providers:

• 45-minute survey in year one

• Participants who opt into the longitudinal component will also complete three 30-minute follow-up interviews in the following three years. Participants may stop participating at any time.