User experience and clinical effectiveness with two wearable global positioning system devices in home dementia care

Herlind Megges; Silka Dawn Freiesleben; Christina Rösch; Nina Knoll; Lauri Wessel; Oliver Peters

doi:10.1016/j.trci.2018.10.002

User experience and clinical effectiveness with two wearable global positioning system devices in home dementia care

Alzheimers Dement (N Y). 2018 Nov 9:4:636-644. doi: 10.1016/j.trci.2018.10.002. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Herlind Megges^{1

2

3}, Silka Dawn Freiesleben^{1

2

3}, Christina Rösch^{1

2

3}, Nina Knoll⁴, Lauri Wessel⁵, Oliver Peters^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
² German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany.
³ Memory Clinic and Dementia Prevention Center, Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Division Health Psychology, Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
⁵ Faculty 7, Business Studies and Economics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.

Abstract

Introduction: The user experience and clinical effectiveness with wearable global positioning system (GPS) devices for persons with dementia (PwDs) and caregivers (CGs) remain unclear although many are available.

Methods: Using a crossover design, 20 dyads tested two similar commercial GPS watches (products A and B) at home for 4 weeks each. Usability, product functions, design features and product satisfaction at home and the clinic were investigated. Caregiver burden and quality of life assessed clinical effectiveness.

Results: The final 17 dyads rated the usability, telephone function, overall design features, font, buttons, and battery life of B significantly better than A. PwDs rated the overall design features and buttons of A significantly better than CGs. Product satisfaction with both products was significantly lower at home. Clinical effectiveness was not found.

Discussion: User experience can be improved by optimizing specific product details. This might translate to clinical effectiveness. Social desirability bias may explain different product satisfaction ratings.

Keywords: Assistive technology; Caregiving; Clinical effectiveness; Dementia; GPS; Home dementia care; Locating systems; Monitoring; Product satisfaction; Tracking systems; Usability; User experience; Wandering; Wearables.