Sammanfattning
Background: Many people with dementia enjoy being outdoors
in spite of cognitive impairment. The use of GPS tracking
devices in dementia care can provide the elderly with freedom
to go outside alone, under control. This article is aimed specifically
at the situation of family caregivers.
Method: This article is based on empirical data drawn from
the EFORTT -project (ethical framework for telecare technologies),
a EU-project involving four European countries. The focus
of the Norwegian study was on the use of telecare technologies
in dementia care.
Results: The empirical data shows that the use of GPS -
tracking has important implications for the actors involved.
Both the persons with dementia and family caregivers are
reporting on improved safety and increased independence.
The findings also show that GPS -tracking is assigning new tasks
and responsibilities to family carers.
Conclusion: The critical point is that many family carers do
not have the capacity, skills or competencies needed in order to
take on the new tasks and responsibilities by themselves. These
are important aspects related to the expectations telecare
technologies are expected to fulfill, that are rarely discussed.
The question that is raised is how healthcare professionals
working with telecare in elderly care can meet these challenges.
Keywords: Dementia care, GPS -tracking, new tasks/responsibilities,
competence.