EN Alzheimer’s from the perspective of formal caregivers: can digital technologies be useful?

Authors

  • Cátia Vaz CIEB, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
  • Vitor Gonçalves CIEB, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0645-6776 (unauthenticated)
  • Célia Novais CI-ISCE Douro, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of Douro
  • Bruno F. Gonçalves CIEB, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
  • Alberto Rocha CI-ISCE Douro, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of Douro
  • Eduarda Silva Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
  • Pedro Forte CI-ISCE Douro, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of Douro
  • José E. Teixeira Instituto Politécnico de Bragança; Bragança; Portugal; Instituto Politécnico da Guarda
  • Ricardo Baptista 9CI-ISCE Douro, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of Douro
  • Helena M. Carvalho CI-ISCE Douro, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of Douro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34620/eduser.v16i2.252

Keywords:

Alzheimer’s dementia; Digital technologies; Formal caregivers.

Abstract

Alzheimer's dementia leads to a progressive decline in the individual's cognitive capacity, interfering with activities of daily living. Applying cognitive stimuli in the early stages can add value to slowing cognitive decline. In this process, can the use of digital technologies help to avoid the use of medication and delay the institutionalization of Alzheimer's patients? Therefore, the general aim of this article was to identify their perceptions of the use of digital technologies in the cognitive stimulation of Alzheimer's patients with formal careers. To this end, an action research methodology was applied, researching the state-of-the-art digital technologies that could be used in Alzheimer's disease from the perspective of formal careers. Sixty-two formal careers participated in this study, 74.2% of whom were female and the rest (25.8%) male. All those interviewed can identify signs of Alzheimer's dementia in patients. Regarding working with digital technologies with Alzheimer's dementia patients, a large percentage of the interviewees (73.6 percent) replied that they only use them sometimes, and 26.4 percent said they never use them. The data suggest that there is still resistance or a lack of confidence in the use of digital technologies on the part of formal careers working with patients with Alzheimer's dementia. However, even if they have never received specific training in this area, especially in cognitive stimulation, we can admit this is understandable.

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Author Biography

  • Vitor Gonçalves, CIEB, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança


     https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0645-6776
    Scopus Author ID: 56533400700
    Researcher ID: G-5274-2012
    Science ID: A310-FFD6-55A1

    Mais informação em https://cieb.ese.ipb.pt/vitor-manuel-barrigao-goncalves

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Published

2024-07-26

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Articles

How to Cite

Vaz, C., Gonçalves, V., Novais, C., Gonçalves, B. F., Rocha, A., Silva, E., Forte, P., Teixeira, J. E., Baptista, R., & Carvalho, H. M. (2024). EN Alzheimer’s from the perspective of formal caregivers: can digital technologies be useful? EduSer, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.34620/eduser.v16i2.252

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