Code: 11047-41/2014
Beginning: 16.02.2015
End: 31.07.2015
Leader: doc.dr. Jana Mali
Associates:
prof.dr. Andrej Košir
Medeja Novljan
Miha Smolnikar
as. Nina Žitek
mag. Mirjam ten Veen
Summary:
Abstract
The project brought together various professional fields, where students are trained in the acquisition of competencies for successful work in the search for innovative forms of support for people with dementia. Dementia is a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly noticeable, and has inevitable impact on life changes of people with dementia, as well as of all his loved ones. In Slovenia, according to some estimates, close to 30.000 people has dementia. Modern approaches to help for people with dementia and their carers are based on empowerment that everyone involved in the process of help makes it possible to take responsibility for their own lives, helping them to gain self-esteem and realize the value of their own life experience, but also objectively strengthen their position in society. An important role in the empowerment of people with dementia is also put on modern technology, because it can help people with dementia live independently as long as possible in their home environment. The development of modern technological solutions should be based on solutions that are adapted to the conditions of life of the individual, his/her stage of dementia, so they can remove concrete barriers and risks in everyday life.
Institute for home care Ljubljana, in providing care for people with dementia, finds that living with dementia is a severe test of life for all those involved in interpersonal relationships with people with dementia: for people with dementia, relatives, friends, acquaintances and professionals, especially social carers. For students of social work, it is important to get, during their studies, knowledge of all the changes that dementia brings into people's lives. It is also important for students of electrical engineering to get knowledge for searching technological solutions and also learn about the social dimensions of the disease. Company ComSensus offered known technological solutions that so far have not yet been adapted to the needs of people with dementia.
The aim of the project was to develop solutions for people with dementia based on their needs and to use ICT for the empowerment of people with dementia. Institute for home care Ljubljana offered the students of the Faculty of Social Work access to people with dementia. Company ComSensus offered students of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering the development of technological solutions based on the needs of people with dementia resulting from their living conditions and the degree of dementia, with the objective of removing concrete barriers and risks in their everyday life. Based on the analysis of the needs of people with dementia, a variety of sensors are tested and checked, based on which we can develop technological solutions for the development of responses to the needs of people with dementia. Without ICT and sensor solutions people with dementia have difficulties to live in a home environment and are forced to seek care in an institution. In this way, the Institute for home care Ljubljana is losing the number of users. For ComSensus the project was an opportunity to establish cooperation with the Institute for home care Ljubljana and both faculties. This is an innovative and interdisciplinary integration of the profession and practice in the field, which is becoming more important, demanding and valuable.