Reducing the Burdens of Paid Caregivers of Older Adults by Using Assistive Technology: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Paid caregivers are needed to support older adults, but caregiver burden contributes to high turnover rates. Assistive technologies help perform activities of daily living (ADLs) and can reduce caregiver burden, but little is known about how they impact paid caregivers. OBJECTIVE: This scoping review provides an overview of evidence on using assistive technology to reduce burdens on paid caregivers working with older adults. DESIGN: The review was conducted from May to August 2022. The eligibility criteria included: (1) publication within 5 years in peer-reviewed journals, (2) investigation of assistive technology, (3) main participants include paid caregivers supporting older adults, and (4) describing impacts on caregiver burden. Searches were conducted in 6 databases, generating 702 articles. The charted data included (1) country of study, (2) participant care roles, (3) study design, (4) main outcomes, and (5) types of assistive technology. Numerical description and qualitative content analysis of themes were used. RESULTS: Fifteen articles reporting on studies in 9 countries were retained for analysis. Studies used a variety of quantitative (8/15), qualitative (5/15), and mixed (2/15) methods. Technologies studied included grab bars and handrails, bidet seats, bed transfer devices, sensor and monitoring systems, social communication systems, and companion robots. Articles identified benefits for reducing stress and workload, while paid caregivers described both positive and negative impacts. CONCLUSIONS: Literature describing the impact of assistive technology on paid caregivers who work with older adults is limited and uses varied methodologies. Additional research is needed to enable rigorous evaluation of specific technologies and impacts on worker turnover.

Bright-siding stigma: Older adults' experiences at a higher weight in Atlantic Canada.

The lived experiences of higher-weight people vary; homogenous samples may fail to capture this diversity. This study develops an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of higher-weight (Body Mass Index ⩾ 30) older adults (⩾60 years of age) in a Canadian Atlantic province. Participants (n = 11) were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured interview guide twice at 2-to-3-month intervals regarding their perceived treatment in social and health situations; how positive and negative healthcare experiences affected their health, lifestyles and healthcare seeking-behaviour; and recommendations in terms of patient experiences, access and inclusion. Participants infrequently reported negative experiences; however, participants' experiences were informed by uptake of moralistic, neoliberal discourses. Thematic content analysis identified two major themes: active citizenship (participants demonstrated internalisation of the imperative for weight loss, healthy lifestyles and active ageing) and bright-siding (participants expressed that a positive attitude could prevent/help cope with stigma). Results suggest that individualistic, rather than collective, political solutions to health and stigma have been taken up by higher-weight older adults in a Canadian Atlantic province, which may hinder attempts at structural reforms addressing stigma.

Passive Remote Monitoring and Aging in Place: A Scoping Review.

Passive remote monitoring is a relatively new technology that may support older adults to age in place. However, current knowledge about the effectiveness of this technology in extending older adults' independence is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review of studies examining passive remote monitoring to systematically synthesize evidence about the technology's effectiveness as an intervention. Our initial search of Embase, CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus databases identified 486 unique articles. Of these, 14 articles met our inclusion criteria. Results show that passive remote monitoring technologies are being used in innovative and diverse ways to support older adults aging in place and their caregivers. More high-quality research on this topic is needed.