Self-organizing knowledge management might improve the quality of person-centered dementia care: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background: In institutional dementia care, person-centered care improves care processes and the quality of life of residents. However, communication gaps impede the implementation of person-centered care in favor of routinized care.

Objective: We evaluated whether self-organizing knowledge management reduces communication gaps and improves the quality of person-centered dementia care.

Method: We implemented a self-organizing knowledge management system. Eight significant others of residents with severe dementia and six professional caregivers used a mobile application for six months. We conducted qualitative interviews and focus groups afterward.

Main findings: Participants reported that the system increased the quality of person-centered care, reduced communication gaps, increased the task satisfaction of caregivers and the wellbeing of significant others.

Conclusions: Based on our findings, we develop the following hypotheses: self-organizing knowledge management might provide a promising tool to improve the quality of person-centered care. It might reduce communication barriers that impede person-centered care. It might allow transferring content-maintaining tasks from caregivers to significant others. Such distribution of tasks, in turn, might be beneficial for both parties. Furthermore, shared knowledge about situational features might guide person-centered interventions.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Collaborative computing; Distributed cognition; EHealth; Humanistic gerontology; Institutional care; Qualitative study.