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ICF Core Set for Matching Older Adults with Dementia and Technology

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The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) consists of 34 codes per person at the one digit level and, at more detailed levels, the number of codes can reach 1424 items. This degree of complexity has led research groups to develop core sets of ICF codes for specific health conditions and disabilities. The ICF core sets typically include the least number of domains to be practical, but as many as required to sufficiently characterize a specific condition. The purpose of this article is to present an ICF core set addressed to older adults with dementia in the process of receiving Assistive Technology (AT) for their functioning and well-being. The ICF Core Set development involved a formal decision-making and consensus process, integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies that included focus groups of health professionals, a systematic review of the literature, and empirical data collected from patients and caregivers. In the ICF core set for older adults with dementia in an AT selection process, the body functions and structures codes are decreased but those related to activities and participation and personal and environmental factors are increased. To further achieve a biopsychosocial and user-driven Core Set that can be applied internationally, ICF categories have been supplemented with items in a measure of AT predisposition and use that is used in many countries. The combination is named the ICF core set for Matching Older Adult with Dementia and Technology (MOADT).
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... Based on the iCF ontologies, case representation was built, which contributed to applying a case retrieval algorithm and improving the accuracy of the recommendation systems that detect and predict the needs of informal caregivers for persons with dementia. Another study developed an iCF core set for functioning and disability assessment of dementia in collaborations with multiple stakeholders in italy and the USA (Scherer et al., 2012). A total of 188 s-level categories were involved in the iCF core set by a user-driven process and provided a common language for operationalizing the Assistive Technology Assessment process in a Center for Technical Aid. ...
... The Studies covered a spectrum of topics such as assessing functioning status by developing iCF-based instruments (Cornelis et al., 2017;De vriendt et al., 2013;Luttenberger et al., 2016;Schmiedeberg-Sohn et al., 2015), linking existing instruments to iCF (Badarunisa et al., 2015;De vriendt et al., 2012;Kirch et al., 2018), describing dementia-related functioning and disabilities (Lomax et al., 2004;A. Malara et al., 2005;Muò et al., 2005) and developing the iCF core set (Scherer et al., 2012). All of those contributed to a better understanding of a person living with dementia and improved communication in caregiving. ...
... Some studies classified dementia associated-disability into iCF domains by conducting narrative reviews without empirical data (Byrne & Orange, 2005;Hopper, 2007), some studies identified iCF categories by interviews or mixed methods, whereas their sample sizes were very limited, that it was insufficient to form a sole set to clarify dementia-related disability in a multidisciplinary perspective (Lomax et al., 2004;Muò et al., 2005). Only Scherer et al. (2012) proposed 'core set' for older adults with dementia. A consensus process, combined with an evidence-based approach and empirical data analysis was involved in the selection of essential iCF categories. ...
Article
Objectives: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) endorsed by the World Health Organization provides a conceptual framework for describing functioning and disability based on a biopsychosocial model. Although dementia is one of the leading causes of disability, yet little is known on the extent to how the ICF has been utilized in dementia research and practice. The study aimed to examine and map the current applications of the ICF with dementia from a body of earlier studies and to explore the potential use in person-centred dementia care. Methods: The Arksey and O'Malley framework was used to guide the searching, selecting, and synthesizing process. The scoping review was reported following The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Results: A total of 34 studies were included. The applications of ICF were classified into 4 themes: (1) in clinical practice and the education of health professionals (n = 20); (2) community support services and income support (n = 3); (3) population-based, census, or survey data (n = 10); (4) advocacy and empowerment purposes (n = 1). Conclusion: The ICF has made a major impact on dementia in clinical settings. Findings strongly support applying the ICF to person-centered dementia care. In the future, more empirical studies are needed to expand the scope of ICF use in dementia research and practice.
... and the technology. Moreover, the MPT model uses the structure and sequence of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) (M. Scherer et al., 2005), and thanks to research in the field of AT and health, we know that both ICF and MPT are useful models for selecting and monitoring AT use (S Federici & Scherer, 2018;M. Scherer et al., 2012). ...
... All patients reported 3 Target Outcomes, while 5 family members only reported 2. Four domains were identified: (1) cognitive functioning, (2) physical functioning, (3) emotional functioning, and (4) social functioning and participation (see Table 4). Furthermore, Verbal learning and memory Body functions; b144 21 Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) 38 Psychomotor speed and executive functioning Body functions; b140, b164 21,31,39 Abbreviations: ICF, International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; TBI, traumatic brain injury; VAS, visual analog scale. a All items marked in italics are linked by the authors. ...
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... The variability between and within people with dementia (i.e., fluctuations hour-to-hour and a longer-term progression of the condition) often prevents a "one-fits-all" approach [55,77] and even challenges "one-size-fits one" for technology. Research with people who have other cognitive disabilities suggests that adjustable devices [55,69], personalization, or individually configured technology may also benefit people with dementia [49]. ...
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... memo minders, information and communication technologies) or help caregivers organise and coordinate their caring responsibilities (e.g. care coordination apps, messenger services) [9,10]. However, the range of evidence for each technological category varies widely with relatively few technologies evaluated through randomised controlled trials or systematic reviews (Moyle, 2019) [11]. ...
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... memo minders, information and communication technologies) or help caregivers organise and coordinate their caring responsibilities (e.g. care coordination apps, messenger services) [9,10]. However, the range of evidence for each technological category varies widely with relatively few technologies evaluated through randomised controlled trials or systematic reviews (Moyle, 2019) [11]. ...
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... In fact, "once the person is stabilized medically, they may receive medical rehabilitation designed to strengthen the remaining capabilities and compensate for those that have been lost." [2]. ...
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