Mobile Apps to Support Caregiver-Resident Communication in Long-Term Care: Systematic Search and Content Analysis

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Informatics
• Communication Sciences

Background:

• Caregivers in long-term residential care (LTRC) face challenges providing person-centered care (PCC) to residents with communication disorders or language barriers.
• Mobile communication technology, including apps, presents an innovative solution for communication breakdowns during daily activities.
• A need exists to assess the availability, relevance, and stability of commercial communication apps (cApps) for supporting PCC in LTRC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and evaluate commercially available cApps suitable for supporting PCC in LTRC.
• To examine the stability and suitability of these cApps over a two-year period.

Main Methods:

• Systematic searches of the Canadian App Store (iOS) were conducted in 2015 and 2017.
• Eligible cApps underwent content review and quality assessment.
• Predefined search terms and inclusion criteria were utilized.

Main Results:

• In 2015, 519 apps were identified, with 27 meeting eligibility criteria; 2 augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and 2 translation apps were most suitable.
• By 2017, the number of assessed AAC and translation apps increased by 205% (from 199 to 607).
• Top recommended cApps demonstrated suitability for LTRC and marketplace stability, despite the increased app volume.

Conclusions:

• Existing recommended cApps incorporate some PCC features and show marketplace longevity.
• Future development should focus on cApps with enhanced PCC features for LTRC.
• Integrating research evidence and experiential knowledge from healthcare professionals can improve cApp content and quality, promoting social participation and PCC.