What do informal carer's need?

Before we start looking at the Assistive Technology and what is available on the marketplace, we need to ask the question ‘Why do informal carers’ need Assistive Technology?’ or better still ‘What assistance do informal carers require to make their lives easier?’.

To answer these questions a focus group was held at the Wymondham Dementia Club in October 2021 with informal carers. The purpose of this was to determine what perceived blockers and physical barriers were stopping informal carers from accessing the outdoors.

Three different scenarios were given, and the Carer’s thoughts and experiences were noted to give an overall picture.

1. Going out together
2. Carer being able to go out alone (leaving the Person Living With Dementia at home or safe space)
3. Person Living With Dementia going out alone, without Carer

Here is a summary of what the Carers discussed and talked about during the focus group.

Can you find the spelling mistake?

Next step is to look at the results and which sort of assistive technology can aid informal carers.