Assistive technology and home modifications: outcomes for people living with dementia and their carers, service use patterns and costs

Social care workers, advocacy groups and consumer organisations routinely recommend Assistive Technology’ (AT), for example bath seats, stair rails, and pendant alarms, for people with dementia and their carers to help them to live independently. However, we do not know much about how AT ‘works’ to help people to live independently with dementia over time.

The Improving the Experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) study followed British people living with dementia and their carers over several years. We will analyse IDEAL data to investigate how well the home environment fits, or can be adapted to fit, the needs and preferences of people living with dementia and their carers.

An advisory board of people living with dementia, carers, and social care experts such as occupational therapists (OTs) will help us to identify questions on assistive technology and independent living, and be involved in shaping the project.

The literature review results were shared with public advisors and presented at the Royal College of Occupational Therapy conference to help inform best practices for assessing and selecting assistive technology (AT) in home environments. The findings provide researchers and health and social care practitioners with guidance on choosing conceptual approaches to evaluate the outcomes of using AT effectively.

London School of Economics (LSE)

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

University of Exeter

Queen Margaret University (QMU)

Innovations in Dementia (Community Interest Company)