How assistive technology can support dementia care: A study about the effects of the IST Vivago watch on patients' sleeping behavior and the care delivery process in a nursing home
Affiliations: [a] University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands | [b] Limez, Doetinchem, The Netherlands
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: N. Nijhof, University of Twente, Faculty of Behavioral Sciences, Citadel, room H400, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 64 4530390; Fax: +31 53 4892388; E-mail: n.nijhof@utwente.nl.
Abstract: In this study, patients with dementia who exhibited a disturbed sleep/wake rhythm wore a special watch which measured their sleep/wake rhythm. The main purpose of this study was to gain insights into the effects of the watch on the sleep/wake rhythm and on the care delivery process of patients with dementia. The research questions focus on the introduction of the watch, its usage and usability, the interventions that have been taken based on using the watch and the effects of the watch on the sleeping behavior of the patients. These questions were answered by means of a mixed methods design: monitoring data about the sleep/wake rhythm, keeping a diary about usage and care interventions related to the monitoring data; observations, and in-depth interviews with caregivers about the implementation and usage of the watch. It can be concluded that the watch has the potential to improve the sleeping behavior and the care delivery process. However, if the effects are to be up scaled, a supportive infrastructure and adequate communication channels and conditions for implementation, such as the trial ability, will first be required.
