Dementia means significant cognitive decline in language, memory and executive functions. Dementia is associated with progressive communication difficulties, which can result in reduced quality of life. To promote quality of life, the communicative environment, participation in group activities and cognitive stimulation have great significance. Cognitive stimulation can delay, slow or prevent symptoms of dementia. Furthermore, information and communication technology (ICT) has promising results in relation to dementia. However, research including psychosocial intervention are limited, which motivates present study. The present study is the first Swedish study which purpose was to promote social interaction for people with dementia through conversational sessions as a group activity when using the communication aid CIRCA (Computer Interactive Reminiscence and Communication Aid). Further purpose was to contribute to the understanding of high technological communication aids’ potential to facilitate and support communication for people with dementia. Five individuals with dementia were recruited from a residential care home. The study comprises a seven-session CIRCA-based group activity, and the material consist of seven hours and fifteen minutes recordings. The analysis included mapping of conversational topics where particularly interesting interactive phenomena were selected that were considered representative of the interaction. The results showed that the conversational sequences could relate to the content of CIRCA, the management of the tablet or were as a result of the content in CIRCA. Characteristic interactional phenomena were enjoyable group dynamics with laughter, humour, singing and social inclusion where participants contributed with information, personal experiences and asked each other questions. Furthermore, a symmetric interaction emerged between participants and between participants and the facilitator. The participants considered the group sessions in use of CIRCA to be enjoyable, amusing, informative and provided conversational topics and simplified the conversations in comparison to without communication aid. The results indicate that CIRCA has promising potential to be utilized as a group activity for people with dementia. CIRCA could be applicable in residential care homes where caregivers’ opportunities to socialize one-to-one is limited. Furthermore, the multimedia of CIRCA can offer a variation that may cater to several individuals interests. CIRCA could constitute a group intervention to promote activity, interaction and social relationships, that could improve the quality of life of people with dementia.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:liu-152768 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Edling, Isabelle, Söderqvist Sandin, Nicole |
| Publisher | Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för klinisk och experimentell medicin, Linköpings universitet, Medicinska fakulteten, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för klinisk och experimentell medicin, Linköpings universitet, Medicinska fakulteten |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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