Enacting citizenship through participation in a technological society: a longitudinal three-year study among people with dementia in Sweden

Sophie Nadia Gaber,Anders Kottorp,Louise Nygård,Annicka Hedman,Camilla Malinowsky,Anna Brorsson

doi:10.1017/s0144686x21000544

Sophie Nadia Gaber, Anders Kottorp + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1017/s0144686x21000544

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Abstract

AbstractThe role of Everyday Technology (ET) use is presented as subsidiary or neutral in policy for age- and dementia-friendly communities; and yet, research suggests that older people, especially those with dementia, experience increased challenges using ET in their everyday lives. Through the lens of micro-citizenship, the study aims to deepen the knowledge about how use of ET outside the home, including portable ETs, relates to participation in places visited within public space among people with dementia over time. Using a longitudinal study design, 35 people with dementia were recruited at baseline and followed over three years. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using standardised questionnaires: the Participation in ACTivities and Places OUTside Home Questionnaire (ACT-OUT) and the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (ETUQ). Random intercept modelling and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Throughout the three-year study, decreasing use of ET outside the home, including portable ETs, was associated with decreasing participation in places visited within public space, in a statistically significant way when controlling for age (F = 7.59, p = 0.01). The findings indicate that facilitating access and use of ET outside the home, among people with dementia, should be integral to promoting and maintaining participation in age- and dementia-friendly communities.

Highlights

Participation in age- and dementia-friendly communities Age- and dementia-friendly communities are a policy goal for national governments, the European Commission and the World Health Organization
We begin by presenting the main results from the statistical model, in relation to the hypothesis that decreasing use of Everyday Technology (ET) outside the home is associated with decreasing participation in places visited within public space over time in people with dementia
Throughout the three-year study, the results showed that decreasing use of ET outside the home was associated with decreasing participation in places visited within public space, in a statistically significant way when controlling for age

Summary

Introduction

Participation in age- and dementia-friendly communities Age- and dementia-friendly communities are a policy goal for national governments, the European Commission and the World Health Organization Portable ETs can be used in different places, both inside and outside the home, and tend to be digital information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as a smartphone, mobile phone or tablet. Despite the apparent ubiquity of ET, research indicates that society’s requirements of digitalisation and digital skills do not sufficiently match the needs and abilities of people with dementia (Jakobsson et al, 2019). This motivates the aim of this study which is to deepen the knowledge about how use of ET outside the home, including portable ETs, relates to participation in places visited within public space among people with dementia over time

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