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Cited by 70Technology Use by Older AdultsDementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAssistive Technology in Communication and Mobility

The use of digital technologies by people with mild-to-moderate dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic: A positive technology perspective

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Talbot, Catherine V, Briggs, Pam·2022·Dementia
DOI 10.1177/14713012221079477PMC PMC8960751

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Abstract

A growing body of research has shown that people with dementia are using digital technologies to enhance lived experience. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new digital opportunities and challenges and so provides a unique opportunity to understand how people with dementia have adapted to this new digital landscape. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 people with dementia and analysed thematically. We generated five themes, showing how participants used digital means to combat the stresses of the pandemic by facilitating social connection, self-actualisation, enhanced well-being and by assisting with activities of daily life. These technologies helped to reduce isolation, provide access to support groups, create opportunities for cognitive stimulation and self-development, and engendered a sense of identity at a time of perceived loss. Despite these benefits, participants also reported challenges regarding cognitive fatigue and usability issues. We recommend that training on how to use digital technologies is co-produced with people with dementia and designers engage with the voices of people with dementia throughout the design process. In turn, this could promote the social connectedness, well-being and self-worth of people with dementia.

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  • With adequate support, the older population of various capacities can adapt to using different technologies.

    “These findings have aligned with emerging evidence that with adequate support, the older population of various capacities can adapt to using different technologies (Peek et al., 2019; Talbot & Briggs, 2022).”

    From Facilitators and Barriers to Using Virtual Reality and its Impact on Social Engagement in Aged Care Settings: A Scoping Review (2023) · cites this paper as Talbot & Briggs, 2022

    The Conclusion reports that participants with mild-to-moderate dementia adapted their use of several digital technologies, and the Discussion says they could learn technological skills but often needed training. The Limitations section cautions that most participants were relatively young and had young-onset dementia, so the study does not establish the claim for older people across various capacities. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Talbot, C. V., & Briggs, P.
Affiliations
  • Bournemouth University (GB)
  • Northumbria University (GB)
Corresponding author
Talbot, Catherine V
ORCID
Venue
Dementia
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2022-03-25
Volume
21
Issue
4
Pages
1363-1380
ISSN
  • 1471-3012 (ISSN-L)
  • 1741-2684
DOI
10.1177/14713012221079477
PMC
PMC8960751
OpenAlex
W4220652509
Cited by
70
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 7
FWCI
25.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Dementia (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Bournemouth University Research Online (Bournemouth University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Northumbria Research Link (Northumbria University) (acceptedVersion)
  • PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/MO23001/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Assistive Technology in Communication and Mobility
Keywords
mild to moderate dementia, digital technologies, COVID-19 pandemic, positive technology, social connectedness, isolation, well-being, activities of daily living, cognitive stimulation, sense of identity, mental fatigue, usability, support groups
MeSH terms
Digital Technology, COVID-19, Dementia, Humans, Technology, Pandemics

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