Article

The ability to manage technology is important for performance and
participation in everyday activities. This study compares the management of
technology in everyday activities among people with mild-stage dementia or mild
cognitive impairment (MCI) with older adults without known cognitive impairment (OA).
Persons with mild-stage dementia (n = 38), MCI (n = 33) and OA (n =
45) were observed and interviewed when managing their everyday technology at home
by using the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment (META). A computer
application of a Rasch measurement model was used to generate measures of
participants' ability to manage technology. These measures were compared
groupwise with ANCOVA. RESULTS: The management of everyday technology was
significantly more challenging for the samples with mild-stage Alzheimer's
disease (AD) or MCI compared to the OA sample (AD - OA, p < 0.001; d = 1.87, MCI
- OA, p < 0.001; d = 0.66). The sample with MCI demonstrated a significantly
higher ability to manage technology than the sample with mild-stage AD (AD - MCI,
p < 0.001; d = 1.23). However, there were overlaps between the groups and
decreased ability appeared in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with cognitive
impairment are likely to have decreased ability to manage everyday technology.
Since their decreased ability can have disabling consequences, ability to manage
technology is important to consider when assessing ability to perform everyday
activities.

Langue : ANGLAIS