BACKGROUND
Dementias including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease profoundly impact the quality of life of older populations and their families. PROCare4Life is a European project that recognizes the benefit of technology-based integrated care models in improving the care coordination and the quality of life of these target groups. It proposes an integrated, scalable and interactive care platform targeting older people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, their caregivers, and health professionals. PROCare4Life adopts a User-Centered Design approach from the early stage and throughout the platform development and implementation, where the platform is designed and adapted to the needs and requirements of all the involved end-users.
OBJECTIVE
This paper presents the study protocol that will be used to investigate the end-user’s needs and requirements regarding the design of the proposed PROCare4Life solution.
METHODS
A mixed qualitative and quantitative study design is utilized, including interviews, workshops, and online surveys, involving approximately 200 participants: patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease and dementia, caregivers, socio-health professionals and stakeholders from different five European countries (Portugal, Germany, Italy, Spain and Romania).
RESULTS
The results of the study which took place in the period May-August 2020, will be used to shape the large-scale piloting phase of the PROCare4Life project.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper charts the protocol for a user-centered design approach at the early stage of the project to shape and influence an integrated health solution suitable for its intended target group and purpose.