Assistive technologies in reducing caregiver burden among informal caregivers of older adults: a systematic review

AbstractPurpose The development of assistive technologies that support people in social interactions has attracted increased attention in HCI. This paper presents a systematic review of studies of Socially Assistive Systems targeted at older adults and people with disabilities. The purpose is threefold: (1) Characterizing related assistive systems with a special focus on the system design, primarily including HCI technologies used and user-involvement approach taken; (2) Examining their ways of system evaluation; (3) Reflecting on insights for future design research. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted using the keywords “social interactions” and “assistive technologies” within the following databases: Scopus, Web of Science, ACM, Science Direct, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore. Results Sixty-five papers met the inclusion criteria and were further analyzed. Our results showed that there were 11 types of HCI technologies that supported social interactions for target users. The most common was cognitive and meaning understanding technologies, often applied with wearable devices for compensating users’ sensory loss; 33.85% of studies involved end-users and stakeholders in the design phase; Four types of evaluation methods were identified. The majority of studies adopted laboratory experiments to measure user-system interaction and system validation. Proxy users were used in system evaluation, especially in initial experiments; 42.46% of evaluations were conducted in field settings, primarily including the participants’ own homes and institutions. Conclusion We contribute an overview of Socially Assistive Systems that support social interactions for older adults and people with disabilities, as well as illustrate emerging technologies and research opportunities for future work.

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A Systematic Review of In-Home Smart Technology Adoption to Improve Older Adult Health and Family Caregiving

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1318 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 409-409

Author(s):

Geunhye Park ◽

Erin Robinson

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Technology Adoption ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Older Adult ◽

Caregiver Burden ◽

Easy Access ◽

Adult Health ◽

Facilitators And Barriers ◽

Smart Technologies

Abstract In-home and internet-based smart technologies to improve older adult health has been rapidly developing. Technologies such as in-home sensors and smart homes enable older adults to live independently and age in place. These technologies also assist informal caregivers in their roles, thus reducing caregiver burden. However, technology adoption among older adults and family caregivers has been relatively low and reasons for technology acceptance are complex. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature, examining acceptance and adoption of in-home, internet-based smart technologies that are designed to improve health outcomes of older adults and can assist family caregivers in providing supports. This study utilized the Rew method (2011) and included peer-reviewed research articles published between 1991 and 2019 and available in: ISI Web of Science; PubMed; Scopus; CINAHL; and PsycInfo. A total of 1,227 relevant articles were identified with the search strings used and a final sample of 48 articles were included after the title, abstract, and full article review processes. Findings highlight several facilitators and barriers to technology adoption. Some facilitators to adoption include: technology familiarity, safety/security, personally tailored, non-obtrusive design, easy access, and reduction of caregiver burden. A few barriers include: cost, difficulty to use, time, stigma, privacy, data accuracy, and confidence. Additional findings will also be presented. A more thorough understanding of these facilitators and barriers to acceptance/adoption is crucial for the successful dissemination of in-home, internet-based smart technologies. Increased adoption can improve older adult health and reduce caregiver burden.

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The content, dissemination and effects of case management interventions for informal caregivers of older adults: A systematic review

International Journal of Nursing Studies ◽

10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2015.01.006 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 52 (5) ◽

pp. 988-1002 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Connie Bøttcher Berthelsen ◽

Jimmie Kristensson

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Case Management ◽

Informal Caregivers ◽

Content Dissemination ◽

Management Interventions

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Walking with rollator: a systematic review of gait parameters in older persons

European Review of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1186/s11556-019-0222-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Marion Mundt ◽

Joao Pedro Batista ◽

Bernd Markert ◽

Cornelius Bollheimer ◽

Thea Laurentius

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Older Persons ◽

Assistive Technologies ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Temporal Parameters ◽

Gait Parameters ◽

Risk Of Falls ◽

Gait Mechanics ◽

Spatio Temporal

Abstract Background The aging population increasingly needs assistive technologies, such as rollators, to function and live less dependently. Rollators are designed to decrease the risk of falls by improving the gait mechanics of their users. However, data on the biomechanics of rollator assisted gait of older adults are limited, or mostly derived from experiments with younger adults. Methods and results This review summarises the data from 18 independent studies on the kinematic and kinetic gait parameters of assisted gait of older persons. All of these studies evaluated spatio-temporal parameters, but not joint angles or moments. Conclusion Due to the limited research on rollator supported gait in older adults, the number of parameters that could be analysed in this systematic review was restricted. Further research in the analysis of spatio-temporal parameters and a higher standardisation in clinical research will be necessary.

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