Project Details

The transition to an ageing population has brought several challenges to societies and healthcare systems around the world. The need for new healthcare approaches and interventions to adjust to the new situation is one of the most relevant issues worldwide. This project particularly targets three of these challenges: the complexity of older adult care, the increase of people living with dementia and their caregivers, and the poor accessibility of rural populations to access healthcare services to face these challenges. It aims to develop a proof of concept for a technological platform integrating digital tools for health and wellness coaching of older adults with dementia or cognitive impairment and their caregivers, and to explore its potential effects on health, wellbeing, daily functioning, social and cognitive participation, and professional care use. A participatory, mixed-methods approach was applied, including two systematic reviews, multiple qualitative studies with strong Patient and Public Involvement (PPI), and ongoing usability, user-experience, and pilot studies of an online caregiver training and support programme. Key foundations for the platform were identified, including the use of interRAI assessment instruments, barriers and facilitators to implementing digital health technologies and socio-community interventions, and strategies to enhance digital PPI. The project demonstrates the feasibility of a technology-supported, user-centred approach to dementia care and provides a basis for future development and evaluation of integrated digital platforms to address the challenges of population ageing.