Potential Facilitators of and Barriers to Implementing the MINI Robot in Community-Based Meeting Centers for People With Dementia and Their Carers in the Netherlands and Spain: Explorative Qualitative Study Articles uri icon

authors

  • MAHMOUDI ASL, AYSAN
  • KOUTERS, SUZANNE
  • CASTRO GONZALEZ, ALVARO
  • VAN DER ROEST, HENRIETTE
  • FRANCO MARTIN, MANUEL
  • DRÖES, ROSE-MARIE

publication date

  • August 2023

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 14

issue

  • e44125

volume

  • 25

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1439-4456

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1438-8871

abstract

  • Background: Social robots, as a form of digital health technologies, are used to support emotional, cognitive, and physical care
    and have shown promising outcomes in enhancing social well-being in people with dementia (PwD) by boosting emotions, social
    interactions, and activity participation.
    Objective: The goal is to investigate the attitude of stakeholders and potential facilitators and the barriers to implementing the
    social robot MINI in community-based meeting centers (MCs) for PwD and carers in the Netherlands and Spain.
    Methods: Based on the British Medical Research Council guidance for process evaluation of the implementation of complex
    interventions and the model for tracing the facilitators of and barriers to the adaptive implementation of innovations in dementia
    care, an explorative qualitative study was conducted. Following the introduction of the MINI robot, 11 stakeholders were
    interviewed in 3 MCs in the Netherlands and 1 in Spain, as well as stakeholders in health and welfare organizations in both
    countries. In addition, 12 adults with dementia participated in focus groups. The data were thematically analyzed and narratively
    described.
    Results: Overall, the stakeholder opinion and interest in the MINI robot were positive. The most important (expected) facilitating
    factors mentioned by stakeholders appeared to be human resources, funding, the impact of the MINI robot on the users and
    programs of the MCs, characteristics of the innovation, and collaboration with other care and welfare organizations. However,
    the (expected) barriers mentioned concerned the physical context and functionalities of the MINI robot, the user context, and MC
    activity policies.
    Conclusions: The findings will inform professional stakeholders, such as MC directors and managers, as well as care and
    welfare organizations, on the practicality of using the MINI robot in MCs. Furthermore, our research will aid MINI robot developers
    in tailoring its features to PwD"s preferences and demands and MC policies, which will contribute to the MINI robot"s effective
    adoption and deployment.

subjects

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medicine

keywords

  • dementia; meeting centers; mild cognitive impairment; social robots