There is an increasing development of technical solutions with the aim to support persons with dementialiving in their own homes. In the COKGNOW project a technical device with the aim to support daily activitiesand independence was developed and evaluated among 42 persons with mild dementia and their carers inthree European countries 2006-2009. A digital photo diary to support reminiscence and the talk about dailyevents between persons with dementia and their next of kins was tested and evaluated among 10 couplesin the MemoryLane project 2010-2011. In both projects a user-driven process was applied with the participantsactively involved in the development was applied.

Remembrance of recent events is a major problem for individuals with dementia. Consequently, this article explores the process of acceptance and integration of a digital photograph diary (DPD) as a tool for remembrance of and conversations about daily life events. A design for multiple case studies was used. Seven couples, in which one individual in the couple had Alzheimer's disease, tested the DPD for 6 months. Data were collected in three sequences with interviews, observations, and screening instruments. In the analysis, all data were integrated to find common patterns of content. Some couples became regular users, while others used the DPD more sporadically. Factors contributing to regular use were how the DPD matched expectations, actual use, support, experienced usefulness, and reactions from family and friends. For those couples who became regular users, the DPD facilitated their conversation about recent daily activities

There is an increased interest in supporting persons with dementia with technical services in daily life. The aim of this case study was to explore the complex issues involved in the process from a user driven development to the acceptance and usage of a new digital assistive device for persons with mild dementia. Even though it was developed in a user driven process and personalized to meet their individual needs they rarely used it. To deepening the understanding of this disparity between actual usage and perceived usefulness, the participants were studied whilst performing daily life activities through participant observations and interviews. Their partners were interviewed two years after the first observations to clarify the change in needs over time. The results show that the participant needs encompassed occupation, safety, social interaction, and memory support together with the receipt of general support. The overriding requirement for both participants was a need to maintain their self-image. When the digital assistive device did not correspond with the participants’ expectations or view of themselves, their interest in using it faded, since the digital assistive device failed to support their self-image. The acceptance of a digital assistive device by a person with dementia is a process that begins with identifying and personalizing the functions of the device according to individual needs, and then supporting the usage and the gradual integration of the device into daily life. During this process, the person’s selfimage must be taken into consideration and supported

AimTo explore how people with Alzheimer's disease present their life story.BackgroundLife story work is a key concept in a person-centred care. An important aspect in understanding the subjective experience and supporting the identity of people with dementia is to listen to their life stories.DesignA narrative design with interviews was used.MethodNine participants with Alzheimer's disease were encouraged to tell about their lives from childhood, adult life, to present life and about their thoughts on the future. The interviews were conducted between September 2010–March 2011 in the participants' homes, with their spouses present and were analysed with a method for analysis of narratives.FindingsContentment, Connectedness, Self-reliance and Personal growth were identified as core dimensions in the participants' life stories and shown like threads throughout life, from childhood, adult life to present life. All participants expressed an overall contentment with life, and connectedness was related to their relation with significant persons and to be included in the local community. Self-reliance was expressed as a strong confidence in the own ability and an overall curiosity throughout life as a sustained quest for personal growth.ConclusionsIt is important for healthcare professionals, who work with people with dementia, to understand that people with Alzheimer's disease can maintain an overall trusting and hopeful approach to life. It is also important to use life story work to enhance feelings of being connected to the world and thereby support their identity and sense of self.

Introduction: A major challenge in involving people with dementia is to determine what methodology can be used in order to optimally understand, measure, and interpret their needs and wants. The aim of this presentation was to reflect on experiences of assessing needs and wants among people with mild dementia in two user-driven development projects of assistive technology services, the Memory-Lane and COGKNOW projects. Methods and Materials: The user-driven design process in the ongoing MemoryLane project and the finished COGKNOW project followed a sequence of three steps. The first step was to acquire concrete user needs as a base for development, the second step was the development process of prototypes, and the final step the testing and evaluation of final prototypes. In both projects dyads of people with dementia and their informal carers were involved in the assessments. The assessment of concrete needs and wants was based on rigorously developed research questions. In the analysis the different type of data were first analyzed separately for both perspectives, and thereafter integrated to a comprehensive understanding. Results: General abstract questions seemed more difficult to answer for persons with dementia than more detailed and concrete questions. Despite these problems, their answers on general open questions provided valuable additional information to the structured questions. Carers could provide more elaborative information. However, there were more similarities than differences between the answers of the people with dementia and their carers, and few contradictive answers were given. Conclusions: Persons with dementia provide special challenges in user-driven development processes of assistive technology services due to their cognitive impairments. The use of a combination of data collections methods, combining open and structured questions in interviewing persons with dementia and their carers with observations by researchers can provide a comprehensive understanding that addresses some of these challenges.