Biography Work in Long-Term Care: How to Stimulate Digital Geographic Storytelling?

Abstract

Purpose Older adults in long-term care homes suffer from high rates of depression and a decrease in quality of life (QoL). The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has shown the need to provide tools that can be used online and counteract challenges such as loneliness in older people. Technology-assisted biography work, e. g. using the BaSeTaLK Webapp (Figure 1), enhances QoL and mood among residents of long-term care homes (Giordano et al., 2023). However, such interventions are limited to interpersonal work. Digital presentations of  told life story could offer the opportunity of an enduring autonomous biography work, as the technical tool might be constantly used to stimulate life narratives in private space. In addition, the focus on memories connected to specific locations could further enhance individual life reflections. There is currently no appropriate tool which utilizes the promising aspects of enduring biography work and enhanced stimulation of memories through digital location-related presentations. In order to broaden the perspective of gerontechnological solutions and better address impacts on QoL, the aim of the study is to conceptualize a technical solution appropriate for older adults to stimulate ‘Digital Geographic Storytelling’ in long-term and to prevent depression and improve QoL. In this presentation, we will focus on a first literature-based demonstrator design and the participatory approach through repetitive involvement of potential users in the further development process. Method The study will be conducted in a mixed-methods design with an agile, user-oriented approach, divided into two phases: A first phase of biographic-narrative interviews and the development of a technical system to analyse and present life stories adjusted to the specific needs of older people, and a second phase as a feasibility study. Results and Discussion In particular, as a starting point, we will present a criteria catalogue derived from the literature that summarizes the requirements a digital tool must meet to serve as a permanent conversation initiator for life story narratives. Furthermore, we will present considerations on how the participatory development process should be structured. We will be able to present a preliminary demonstrator of the presentation tool adapted to the needs of older people.

References

Giordano, K., Lauer, N., Leusch, V., Kreiter, D., & Corsten, S. (2023). Tablet-based biography work in long-term care homes to support quality of life and prevent depression. Educational Gerontology, 1-14.

Keywords: technology-assisted biography work, long-term care, quality of life, digital geography storytelling