Training program for the improvement for the quality of life of persons with advanced dementia through the application of innovative strategies in domiciliary environments supported by assistive technologies / ADatHOME

Background, aims and tasks:

The European project ADatHOME deals with the care of persons with dementia in domiciliary environments considering assistive technologies. Worldwide around 50 million persons live with dementia, thereof 10 million in Europe. In advanced stages of dementia, according to the “Global Deterioration Scale“  phase 6-7 (GDS 6-7), the disease could lead to severe cognitive decline, incontinence, delirium, compulsions, anxiety or agitation. Persons with advanced dementia require extensive help. Considering the quality of life, as well as the increasing life expectancy and the consequent implementation of “outpatient before inpatient care”, many persons with advanced dementia are cared for in the domiciliary environment.

The main aim of the ADatHOME project is to increase the competences (attitudes, knowledge, skills) of caregivers in order to improve the quality of life of persons with advanced dementia (GDS 6-7) in domiciliary environment. For this purpose a training platform is developed, which provides information, guidelines and tools about non-verbal communication and informs about sensorial stimulation, the adaptation of care tasks and assistive technologies. This training platform is intended to help caregivers improve their competences and thereby to increase the quality of life of persons with advanced dementia and to face the ethical challenges of domiciliary care in order to reduce the individual burden for caregivers.

The Institute for Work and Technology undertakes the elaboration on the topic of “assistive technologies”. Existing assistive technologies will be presented and corresponding training materials will be created, which will be incorporated into the training platform. After the project completion the trainings platform will be freely available online and can be used by caregivers and interested parties.

Project partners:

The following project partners are involved in the ADatHOME project: