This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Cahill, S. Articles by Jones, K. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

‘I Know Where this is Going and I Know it won’t Go Back’

Hearing the Individual’s Voice in Dementia Quality of Life Assessments

Dementia Services Information and Development Centre, Dublin, Scahill{at}stjames.ie

Emer Begley

Dementia Services Information and Development Centre, Dublin, ebegley{at}stjames.ie

Päivi Topo

National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES), Finland, Paivi.Topo{at}stakes.fi

Kristiina Saarikalle

National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health(STAKES), Finland, Kristiina.Saarikalle{at}stakes.fi

Jurate Macijauskiene

Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania, juramac{at}takas.lt

Ausra Budraitiene

Mental Health Primary Centre, Pramones, Lithuania, ausra.sk{at}mail.lt

Inger Hagen

Own Company, post{at}ihagen.no

Torhild Holthe

Norwegian Centre for Dementia Research, torhild.holthe{at}nordemens.no

Kerry Jones

Dementia Voice, UK, kjones{at}dementia-voice.org.uk

While it is generally agreed that any appraisal of quality of life should as far as possible rely on the individual’s own perspective, having people with dementia evaluate their own quality of life remains a much-debated issue. This article reports findings from a longitudinal study (ENABLE) designed to examine the impact of assistive technology on persons with dementia and their family caregivers. The study’s methodology sought to empower people with dementia by engaging them in the research process. Both quantitative and qualitative data on quality of life were collected from a sample of 92 persons with dementia before and after assistive technologies were introduced into their homes. This article presents preliminary baseline data on quality of life prior to when the home interventions (technologies) were introduced. Results demonstrate that people with dementia can competently participate in research on dementia and have more positive appraisals of their lives, roles and relationships than might be expected.

Key Words: assessment scales • ill-being • self-report • technology • well-being

Dementia, Vol. 3, No. 3, 313-330 (2004)
DOI: 10.1177/1471301204045163


CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. M. Murray and S. Boyd Protecting Personhood and Achieving Quality of Life for Older Adults With Dementia in the U.S. Health Care System J Aging Health, April 1, 2009; 21(2): 350 - 373. [Abstract] [PDF]

				G Livingston, C Cooper, J Woods, A Milne, and C Katona Successful ageing in adversity: the LASER-AD longitudinal study J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, June 1, 2008; 79(6): 641 - 645. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. Hellstrom, M. Nolan, L. Nordenfelt, and U. Lundh Ethical and Methodological Issues in Interviewing Persons With Dementia Nursing Ethics, September 1, 2007; 14(5): 608 - 619. [Abstract] [PDF]