scholarly journals A Web-Based Platform for People With Memory Problems and Their Caregivers (CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD): Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Usability (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paraskevi Zafeiridi ◽  
Kevin Paulson ◽  
Rosie Dunn ◽  
Emma Wolverson ◽  
Caroline White ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The increasing number of people with dementia (PwD) drives research exploring Web-based support interventions to provide effective care for larger populations. In this concept, a Web-based platform (CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD, 620911) was designed to (1) improve the quality of life for PwD, (2) reduce caregiver burden, (3) reduce the financial costs for care, and (4) reduce administration time for health and social care professionals. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability and usefulness of CAREGIVERSPRO-MMD platform for PwD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), informal caregivers, and health and social care professionals with respect to a wider strategy followed by the project to enhance the user-centered approach. A secondary aim of the study was to collect recommendations to improve the platform before the future pilot study. METHODS A mixed methods design was employed for recruiting PwD or MCI (N=24), informal caregivers (N=24), and professionals (N=10). Participants were asked to rate their satisfaction, the perceived usefulness, and ease of use of each function of the platform. Qualitative questions about the improvement of the platform were asked when participants provided low scores for a function. Testing occurred at baseline and 1 week after participants used the platform. The dropout rate from baseline to the follow-up was approximately 10% (6/58). RESULTS After 1 week of platform use, the system was useful for 90% (20.75/23) of the caregivers and for 89% (5.36/6) of the professionals. When users responded to more than 1 question per platform function, the mean of satisfied users per function was calculated. These user groups also provided positive evaluations for the ease of use (caregivers: 82%, 18.75/23; professionals: 97%, 5.82/6) and their satisfaction with the platform (caregivers: 79%, 18.08/23; professionals: 73%, 4.36/6). Ratings from PwD were lower than the other groups for usefulness (57%, 13/23), ease of use (41%, 9.4/23), and overall satisfaction (47%, 11/23) with the platform (P<.05). Qualitative comments related to both improvements for functionality and the platform interface. CONCLUSIONS Although caregivers and professionals were overall satisfied with the platform, further adaptations were recommended by PwD. This reiterates the importance of the involvement of end users in the development of Web-based interventions. Recommendations from users in this paper apply for the interface and functionality of a wider range of Web-based support interventions.

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii17-iii65
Author(s):  
Fiona Keogh ◽  
Tom Pierse ◽  
Eamon O'Shea

Abstract Background Public services for people with dementia living in the community face significant resource constraints. The aims of this study are to identify an optimum mix of services for six dementia case types and to gain a greater understanding of the resource allocation decision making process. Methods Irish datasets were used to identify dementia cases types representing 46% of cases in the datasets. Vignettes were prepared for six case types ranging from low to high dependency and needs. Carers, people with dementia and health and social care professionals (HSCPs) took part in mixed methods workshops. Initial findings for the HSCPs are reported here (N=23). HSCP participants firstly quantitatively identified an optimum care package for a set of six vignettes, then qualitatively discussed the needs and individual case factors that were driving service recommendations. The quantitative exercise was repeated with a budget constraint. The sessions finished with a discussion on service and case prioritisation. Results When no budget constraint is imposed, participants recommended the use of a wide range of services. Home help, in-home respite and day care services comprised 62% of spending in this scenario. When a budget constraint was imposed, participants focused on essential care and reduced services aimed at prevention, quality of life and carer support. Resources were not redistributed between cases (e.g. from low need to higher need cases) as a similar proportion of the budget was allocated to each of the cases in both scenarios. Conclusion People with dementia living in the community and their families have a wide range of health and social care needs. Optimum dementia care packages included a wide range of services to meet these needs. However, a budget constraint resulted in a much narrower range of services with consequent implications in terms of unmet need and a reactive rather than preventive approach to care.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (s2) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Marjolein Scholten ◽  
Marieke Perry ◽  
Marjolein Van der Marck ◽  
Rose-Marie Droës ◽  
Hanny Groenewoud

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie Jauk ◽  
Diether Kramer ◽  
Alexander Avian ◽  
Andrea Berghold ◽  
Werner Leodolter ◽  
...  

AbstractEarly identification of patients with life-threatening risks such as delirium is crucial in order to initiate preventive actions as quickly as possible. Despite intense research on machine learning for the prediction of clinical outcomes, the acceptance of the integration of such complex models in clinical routine remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate user acceptance of an already implemented machine learning-based application predicting the risk of delirium for in-patients. We applied a mixed methods design to collect opinions and concerns from health care professionals including physicians and nurses who regularly used the application. The evaluation was framed by the Technology Acceptance Model assessing perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, actual system use and output quality of the application. Questionnaire results from 47 nurses and physicians as well as qualitative results of four expert group meetings rated the overall usefulness of the delirium prediction positively. For healthcare professionals, the visualization and presented information was understandable, the application was easy to use and the additional information for delirium management was appreciated. The application did not increase their workload, but the actual system use was still low during the pilot study. Our study provides insights into the user acceptance of a machine learning-based application supporting delirium management in hospitals. In order to improve quality and safety in healthcare, computerized decision support should predict actionable events and be highly accepted by users.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e022635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Ansmann ◽  
Hendrik Ansgar Hillen ◽  
Ludwig Kuntz ◽  
Stephanie Stock ◽  
Vera Vennedey ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e053099
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Rapa ◽  
Jeffrey R Hanna ◽  
Catriona R Mayland ◽  
Stephen Mason ◽  
Bettina Moltrecht ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to investigate how families prepared children for the death of a significant adult, and how health and social care professionals provided psychosocial support to families about a relative’s death during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/settingA mixed methods design; an observational survey with health and social care professionals and relatives bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, and in-depth interviews with bereaved relatives and professionals were conducted. Data were analysed thematically.ParticipantsA total of 623 participants completed the survey and interviews were conducted with 19 bereaved relatives and 16 professionals.ResultsMany children were not prepared for a death of an important adult during the pandemic. Obstacles to preparing children included families’ lack of understanding about their relative’s declining health; parental belief that not telling children was protecting them from becoming upset; and parents’ uncertainty about how best to prepare their children for the death. Only 10.2% (n=11) of relatives reported professionals asked them about their deceased relative’s relationships with children. This contrasts with 68.5% (n=72) of professionals who reported that the healthcare team asked about patient’s relationships with children. Professionals did not provide families with psychosocial support to facilitate preparation, and resources were less available or inappropriate for families during the pandemic. Three themes were identified: (1) obstacles to telling children a significant adult is going to die, (2) professionals’ role in helping families to prepare children for the death of a significant adult during the pandemic, and (3) how families prepare children for the death of a significant adult.ConclusionsProfessionals need to: provide clear and honest communication about a poor prognosis; start a conversation with families about the dying patient’s significant relationships with children; and reassure families that telling children someone close to them is dying is beneficial for their longer term psychological adjustment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 13-13
Author(s):  
Alison Wheatley ◽  
Marie Poole ◽  
Louise Robinson

Background:The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated widespread change across health and social care in England and Wales. A series of lockdowns and UK Government guidance designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 which emphasised social distancing and increased use of personal protective equipment led to changes such as increased use of remote consultation technologies and the closure of services deemed non-essential. This included many services for people with dementia and their families, such as day centres and dementia cafes.Objective:To explore the changes made to services during the pandemic and the impact of these changes on the delivery of good post-diagnostic dementia support.Method:Professionals who had previously been recruited to the ongoing PriDem qualitative study were approached for follow up interview. Eighteen interviews with a total of 21 professionals working in health, social care and the third sector were conducted using telephone or video conferencing.Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and checked prior to thematic analysis.Results:Key themes emerging from preliminary analysis of the data include: uncertainty about the future and the need to adapt quickly to shifting guidance; changing job roles and ways of working; the emotional and physical impact of the pandemic on staff working with people with dementia and their families; and the impact of changes made (e.g. increased PPE, remote working) on the ability to deliver post-diagnostic support. However, there were also some unintended positive outcomes of the changes. These included the ability to include family members living at a distance in remote consultations, allowing for more robust history-taking, as well as the uptake of technology to facilitate cross-sector and multidisciplinary working between professionals.Conclusion:Delivering post-diagnostic dementia support during COVID-19 was challenging and forced dementia services to make adaptations. Participants expected that some of these changes would be incorporated into post-pandemic work, for example increased use of technology for multidisciplinary team meetings or blended approaches to patient-facing services involving both virtual and face to face work as appropriate. However, most participants agreed that it was not appropriate nor desirable to provide fully remote post-diagnostic support on a full time basis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 4887-4899
Author(s):  
Annette Keuning‐Plantinga ◽  
Petrie Roodbol ◽  
Barbara C. Munster ◽  
Evelyn J. Finnema

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-68
Author(s):  
Linda Nazarko

People with dementia have experienced great disruption to their lives due to the pandemic. Linda Nazarko highlights the way individuals have been affected and how the practice nurse can support them People with dementia and their caregivers have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Isolation, a reduction in formal and informal support, and disruption to routine have contributed to feelings of loneliness and anxiety in people with dementia and their caregivers. The pandemic has led to staff shortages in health and social care, changes of care workers and a reduction in the level of support provided. These changes have affected the physical and mental health of people with dementia and increased their reliance on primary care. Practice nurses have a key role to play in supporting affected individuals.


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