Page 108 - Petelin, Ana. 2021. Ed. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
P. 108
avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 106 apps is requires inclusion of healthcare workers as well as technological
scientists and patients. More research should be done concerning app
efficiency and adjustments of their functions for the specific patients’
needs.
Keywords: Apps for dementia, elderly with dementia, apps for elderly
with dementia
Introduction
Dementia is a syndrome for which it is typical a progressive lessening of the
cognitive and behavioural abilities and memory and aggravation of doing
everyday activities, which usually afflicts the elderly. In 2018, there was an esti-
mation that around the world, there were 50 million people with dementia and
treatment costs were a billion American dollars; however, the number of afflict-
ed will increase till the year 2050 for a third (ADI – Alzheimer’s Disease In-
ternational, 2018). Research shows that specific mobile apps, meant for people
with dementia and their caretakers, could lower their physical and psycholog-
ical burden. At the same time, they could also reduce the costs to the Health-
care systems, higher the chances of the patients’ independence and acceptance
of their chronic disease while also slower its’ development (Klimova, 2017). On
the market, we can find a variety of apps. They can work preventively, meaning
that they can serve as a diagnostic tool or quicker detection of developing de-
mentia (Klimova, 2017).
On the other hand, apps can also work as a helping tool, making patients’
lives more manageable and help them to cope in their everyday life (Klimo-
va, 2017). Mobile apps could be beneficial at controlling dementia in five areas.
Firstly, on detection and assessment of dementia disease, secondly at cognitive
training of people with this diagnosis, thirdly for the evaluation of health and
safety of people with dementia, fourthly in socialisation and relaxation and
fifthly in long-distance health assessment of patients by a health professional
(Yousaf et al., 2019)
It is necessary to know the limitation of usage of apps by the elderly since
they are known to have limited knowledge of using technology, and dementia
is known to cause further cognitive decline. Consequently, the usage of apps
must be adjusted to the users – they need to be simple to use and calculate their
needs and disadvantages. It is essential to add that all apps are not made by ex-
perts and are, therefore not adequate for use (Choi, 2020).
Methods
In this research it was used the descriptive method with critical appraisal of
English scientific literature with the assistance of the diKUL portal (Digital li-
brary of University of Ljubljana). We used next keywords with Boolean logical
operator AND: Apps for dementia, elderly with dementia, apps for elderly with
dementia. The included literature needed to correspond with the following re-
quirements: published between the years 2013 and 2021, the paper required to
scientists and patients. More research should be done concerning app
efficiency and adjustments of their functions for the specific patients’
needs.
Keywords: Apps for dementia, elderly with dementia, apps for elderly
with dementia
Introduction
Dementia is a syndrome for which it is typical a progressive lessening of the
cognitive and behavioural abilities and memory and aggravation of doing
everyday activities, which usually afflicts the elderly. In 2018, there was an esti-
mation that around the world, there were 50 million people with dementia and
treatment costs were a billion American dollars; however, the number of afflict-
ed will increase till the year 2050 for a third (ADI – Alzheimer’s Disease In-
ternational, 2018). Research shows that specific mobile apps, meant for people
with dementia and their caretakers, could lower their physical and psycholog-
ical burden. At the same time, they could also reduce the costs to the Health-
care systems, higher the chances of the patients’ independence and acceptance
of their chronic disease while also slower its’ development (Klimova, 2017). On
the market, we can find a variety of apps. They can work preventively, meaning
that they can serve as a diagnostic tool or quicker detection of developing de-
mentia (Klimova, 2017).
On the other hand, apps can also work as a helping tool, making patients’
lives more manageable and help them to cope in their everyday life (Klimo-
va, 2017). Mobile apps could be beneficial at controlling dementia in five areas.
Firstly, on detection and assessment of dementia disease, secondly at cognitive
training of people with this diagnosis, thirdly for the evaluation of health and
safety of people with dementia, fourthly in socialisation and relaxation and
fifthly in long-distance health assessment of patients by a health professional
(Yousaf et al., 2019)
It is necessary to know the limitation of usage of apps by the elderly since
they are known to have limited knowledge of using technology, and dementia
is known to cause further cognitive decline. Consequently, the usage of apps
must be adjusted to the users – they need to be simple to use and calculate their
needs and disadvantages. It is essential to add that all apps are not made by ex-
perts and are, therefore not adequate for use (Choi, 2020).
Methods
In this research it was used the descriptive method with critical appraisal of
English scientific literature with the assistance of the diKUL portal (Digital li-
brary of University of Ljubljana). We used next keywords with Boolean logical
operator AND: Apps for dementia, elderly with dementia, apps for elderly with
dementia. The included literature needed to correspond with the following re-
quirements: published between the years 2013 and 2021, the paper required to
