Quality of life technologies for people with dementia

The article presents the results of user research into the quality of life in dementia and outlines priorities for research and development for technologies to enhance the independence and well-being of people with dementia. The article describes prototype music players- 1 of 4 technologies currently under development by INDEPENDENT, a government-funded research project in the United Kingdom. The user research indicates that while a person's functional and cognitive deficits are of considerable importance, quality of life encompasses wider contextual issues, such as the physical, social, and technological environment, offering many avenues for technology and design interventions that may facilitate participation in everyday activities.