Technology Usability for People Living With Dementia: Concept Analysis

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Human-Computer Interaction
• Focus on assistive technologies for cognitive impairment

Background:

• Usability is a critical quality metric for technology, with increasing relevance for individuals with dementia.
• The progressive and diverse nature of dementia presents unique challenges in defining universal usability criteria.
• Technological interventions offer significant benefits for people with dementia and their caregivers, especially in remote healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a concept analysis of technology usability specifically for individuals living with dementia.
• To establish a clear and applicable definition of usability tailored to this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Walker and Avant framework for concept analysis.
• Conducted a comprehensive literature review (1984-2024) using PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with keywords 'technology usability' and 'dementia'.
• Integrated clinical definitions and interview data from 29 dyads (58 individuals) with mild Alzheimer dementia and their care partners.

Main Results:

• Literature review identified learnability, efficiency, and satisfaction as core usability attributes.
• Clinical perspectives highlighted the need for tailored usability assessments based on dementia stage, subtype, and symptoms.
• Participant feedback emphasized simplicity, clear navigation, age-sensitive design, personalization, and audio support as crucial.

Conclusions:

• Usability is paramount for designing effective technological interventions for people with dementia.
• Design must consider user characteristics, dementia progression, varied physical and sensory needs, and age-related changes.
• Recommendations include versatile, multifunctional, and personalized technology designs that adapt to evolving user needs and conditions.