Consumer and Provider Perspectives on Technologies Used Within Aged Care: An Australian Qualitative Needs Assessment Survey.

We undertook a qualitative assessment of aged care technology needs from the perspective of consumers and providers using a cross-sectional survey that assumed a largely open-response format. We recruited a convenience sample of individuals aged 18 years or older, lived in Australia, and self-identified as either an older adult (n = 133), an informal caregiver of an older adult (n = 27), and/or clinician, healthcare practitioner, and aged care provider (n = 148). Survey responses were analyzed using a descriptive qualitative content analysis approach to interpret meaning from written survey responses. We identified seven themes reporting that technologies used in aged care do not appear to be meeting end-user needs. Supporting the Technology Acceptance Model, consumers and providers perceive usefulness of the technology and its actual ease of use as drivers of acceptance toward gerontechnology. Ten recommendations are proposed to support technology use and the quality of aged care.

How Did the COVID-19 Restrictions Impact People Living With Dementia and Their Informal Carers Within Community and Residential Aged Care Settings in Australia? A Qualitative Study.

The aim of this study was to explore how formal social support changed after implementation of the COVID-19 public health measures and how these restrictions affected people living with dementia and their informal carers in Australia. Sixteen informal carers and two people living with dementia were interviewed between August and November 2020. Participants were asked about their experiences of the pandemic and the impact that the restrictions had on their lives and care. Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes describing (a) prepandemic limitations of the aged care system, (b) the aged care system's response to the COVID-19 restrictions, (c) changes affecting informal carers, and (d) the challenges faced by people living with dementia. The findings highlighted the challenges faced by the Australian aged care system before the pandemic and the additional burden placed on informal carers who supported people living with dementia across residential and home settings during the pandemic.