Informing the development of assistive technologies for persons with dementia by connecting financial measures of wealth to perceptions of task dependence
Affiliations: [a] Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science/Discipline of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada | [b] Department of Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s, NL, Canada | [c] Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Stephen Czarnuch, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science/Discipline of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada. Tel.: +1 709 864 7850; E-mail: sczarnuch@mun.ca.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Older adults with dementia have been targeted toward the development of assistive technologies intended to facilitate aging in place. Researchers have documented financial and occupation strain for the caregiver and the financial limitations experienced by persons with dementia. These factors constitute a potential hindrance to the use and applicability of assistive technologies; technologies that may reduce caregiver burden, allow more time for paid work, and, in consequence, reduce occupational strain. OBJECTIVE: To unpack how financial burden, operationalized as direct (e.g., income) and indirect (e.g., caregiver education, employment status) measures of wealth and assets, affect the perceived independence of people with dementia. METHODS: We draw on data collected through a cross-Canada survey of caregivers to develop a set of predictive models of care-recipient task independence. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that said measures of wealth can predict task independence, and more complicated or instrumental daily tasks (e.g., shopping, driving) are perceived as being those with which care recipients need most assistance. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the economical and emotional obstacles that affect both the caregiver and the care recipient, the development of assistive technologies that would be both financially realistic and assistive for this population in these instrumental daily tasks is warranted.
