Approach Matters: Linking Practitioner Approaches to Technology Design for People with Dementia

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Technology design for dementia is an active and growing area. Though work to date has largely addressed functional needs, there is a growing recognition of the importance of supporting meaningful activities. However, technology for active, rather than passive, engagement is relatively novel beyond specific applications (e.g., music or reminiscence therapy). To better understand how to support active engagement of people with dementia in activities, we interviewed nineteen practitioners. Our findings reveal differing approaches to making sense of the actions of people with dementia, as well as to engaging them in activities. We discuss the importance of tracing epistemological understandings of dementia to different configurations of technology for people living with dementia and provide a practical guide to support designers to do so. Finally, we discuss considerations for the design of dementia technologies around facilitating self-actualization and managing emotional exposure for care-providers.