Help with potential areas of research for my dissertation

Joelph

New member
Mar 14, 2019
2
0
Hi guys.

I'm doing my dissertation into the current models of care in care homes for those with "advanced dementia" and how media technologies could be used to improve these models.

I'm doing this dissertation because my Grandfather had dementia for many years and eventually had to go into a hopsital when he started losing the use of his legs, where he was left alone for several weeks barely eating until he was admitted into a, more of a general, care home, where he was basically left to sit there and watch TV all day everyday. So it wasn't much better than the hospital really. I understand that's (hopefully) not the case for all care homes. But everyone at this particular care home was just left alone to do their own thing, aside from eating and drinking etc.

Basically I'm currently looking into how media technologies can be used to help. A perfect example of what I'm talking about is something called The Tovertafel. (https://tovertafel .co.uk/) It uses projection mapping onto a table which those with dementia can then play around with with assistance. It's almost like a game for a child, but it provides brain stimulation for those with dementia.

I'm treating this dissertation as though the person reading it has never heard of dementia before, so far I've gone through explaining exactly what dementia is, and how it can affect people, the stages of dementia, general information about dementia friendly care homes, and how brain stimulation can help.

I'm wondering if anyone knows of anything else in this area of media technologies or any theories they've heard of in this area? It'd me a massive help to my research.

Thanks in advance!

Joel
 

Helly68

Registered User
Mar 12, 2018
1,685
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Joel - not sure I have heard of anything else - my Mum's place is fundraising for a Magic Table like the model you describe, but this has to be from charitable donations as they are so expensive.
I think staffing limits activities and also the issue of the fact that you can't "make" people join in activities, though the best activity co-ordinators persuade very well.
Also, in the dementia unit where my Mum is, many residents sleep a lot, for a variety of reasons. As above, it isn't always feasible to wake them up. There is also the issue that care homes don't tend to have visits from physios, so residents do lose muscle tone and function. My Mum's home does have "music and movement" sessions, but these aren't one to one and some residents join in, some don't.
 

Joelph

New member
Mar 14, 2019
2
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It might help members if you defined 'Media Technology' in relation to dementia.

Okay so 'Media Technology' defines a lot of things, it's technology that uses media, for example a radio or a TV, computer, mobile phone, etc as an output to communicate with the user.

In relation to Dementia, the best example of what I'm trying to describe is the Tovertafel, or 'magic table' as it's also referred to, as it uses the projection onto the table as the media output to the user.

I hope that's a clearer definition of it?


Joel - not sure I have heard of anything else - my Mum's place is fundraising for a Magic Table like the model you describe, but this has to be from charitable donations as they are so expensive.
I think staffing limits activities and also the issue of the fact that you can't "make" people join in activities, though the best activity co-ordinators persuade very well.
Also, in the dementia unit where my Mum is, many residents sleep a lot, for a variety of reasons. As above, it isn't always feasible to wake them up. There is also the issue that care homes don't tend to have visits from physios, so residents do lose muscle tone and function. My Mum's home does have "music and movement" sessions, but these aren't one to one and some residents join in, some don't.

You raise some very valid points, there's a lot of reasons why something like this isn't feasible such as what you said above. I'm trying my best to be looking at both sides of the coin when looking into this, whilst, as it can have positive effects on the person, there's a lot of ethical issues too, and cost, which is what I'm looking into now.

Thanks a lot for your input, greatly appreciated!
 

Elle3

Registered User
Jun 30, 2016
705
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I think it depends on the level of Dementia, my dad had advanced dementia and was in a specialised dementia unit, all the residents have challenging behaviour. The residents all have different conditions, such as communication, cognitive and behavioural issues as well as mobility issues, some immobile and others unable to sit still and stay focused for more than a couple of minutes. The activities team has tried many activities with these residents but the only thing that seems to get a reaction or interest is music. But even then some residents just don’t like noise of any kind and prefer solitude. You also have to realise that many residents are quite elderly and at an age where technology for them is hard to understand and it’s almost impossible to introduce something new. The only thing that seemed to stimulate my dad was playing with a simple balloon.

You might frown at thinking that care homes just leave the residents to sleep all the time or watch tv, but actually that’s sometimes all they want to do.
 

Maggie

Registered User
Oct 11, 2003
87
0
Gibraltar/England london Now
You might frown at thinking that care homes just leave the residents to sleep all the time or watch tv, but actually that’s sometimes all they want to do.

I would have to agree to disagree with that.

As from living experience with my Mother with Late stages of Dementia .
I saw my mother motivation
disappear all she wanted to do was sleep with the TV on all the time.

Ok so theres no cure for Dementia.
Everyone if unique in how the dementia effects them.
Stigma is still around with Dementia like it was with Cancer 30 years ago.
But just like with cancer medication, theirs medication to slow down the progression of dementia.

Quote
What happens within the brain?
Apathy
One of the reasons that people with dementia are thought to develop apathy is damage to the brain’s frontal lobes. These control motivation, planning and sequencing of tasks.

When someone withdraws, stops doing things and loses their confidence and abilities, their apathy can get worse and so they become even less motivated. It is important for anyone supporting the person to help them avoid this. Quote .
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about...nosis/apathy-depression-anxiety#content-start


I was given Exbiza for my mother AZ/VA
I did still notice Apathy.
It was not easy motivating my mother , but with the help of AZ day Care centre.
doing a lot of reading about what was happening within my mother brain with a dianozed of a dementia , did help me to help my mother to have guilty digitally in long end of life care.
10 years since my mother passed away.

I think this Magic Table is
revolutionary in positive quality care with dementia activities

I hope to read one day in the furture that the price is assessable for carers who care for someone at home to have one for their love ones .
Not just in a care home.
 
Last edited:

Jaded'n'faded

Registered User
Jan 23, 2019
5,259
0
High Peak
I think it depends on the level of Dementia, my dad had advanced dementia and was in a specialised dementia unit, all the residents have challenging behaviour. The residents all have different conditions, such as communication, cognitive and behavioural issues as well as mobility issues, some immobile and others unable to sit still and stay focused for more than a couple of minutes. The activities team has tried many activities with these residents but the only thing that seems to get a reaction or interest is music. But even then some residents just don’t like noise of any kind and prefer solitude. You also have to realise that many residents are quite elderly and at an age where technology for them is hard to understand and it’s almost impossible to introduce something new. The only thing that seemed to stimulate my dad was playing with a simple balloon.

You might frown at thinking that care homes just leave the residents to sleep all the time or watch tv, but actually that’s sometimes all they want to do.
Completely agree with this. Many people with advanced dementia just aren't able to do much. Many are actively dying. I just don't think there is much to offer people at that stage other than music and whatever comforts them.

Also, I wonder if you'd say to someone with terminal cancer, 'Never mind that you're dying! Come over here, sit at this table and do this thing - it's good for you.' There is a point with dementia where the downward slide really increases and the person becomes incredibly tired. We should recognise that, even though it is incredibly hard to watch someone sitting doing nothing, seemingly unstimulated.

Having said that, I think the magic table is brilliant and could be really useful in the earlier stages. I've seen cheaper (and free!) versions of similar things that can be viewed/played with on a tablet. I downloaded one for my cats that has moving mice they can chase....