A window into the reality of families living long term with challenging behaviours after a TBI.

Challenging behaviours are a long-term burden for people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families. Families frequently shoulder the responsibility alone, but little is known about the strategies they use to manage these behaviours. This study aimed to 1) identify the coping strategies used by people with TBI living in the community and their family caregivers to manage challenging behaviours; and 2) describe the similarities and differences between strategies used by people with TBI and caregivers.

COOK technology to support meal preparation following a severe traumatic brain injury: a usability mixed-methods single-case study in a real-world environment.

Introduction: Following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), meal preparation may become challenging as it involves multiple cognitive abilities and sub-tasks. To support this population, the Cognitive Orthosis for coOKing (COOK) was developed in partnership with an alternative residential resource for people with severe TBI. However, little is known about the usability of this technology to support people with TBI living in their own homes.

Cognitive assistance to support individuals with traumatic brain injury using a minimal and personalised approach: A conversion mixed methods study using video analysis.

Introduction: Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently need assistance to manage complex everyday activities. However, little is known about the types of cognitive assistance that can be used to facilitate optimal independence. A conversion mixed method study using video analysis was conducted to describe assistance provided by trained occupational therapists during three everyday tasks carried out in the participants' homes and surrounding environments.

The dual reality of challenging behaviours: Overlapping and distinct perspectives of individuals with TBI and their caregivers.

Challenging behaviours significantly impact the lives of people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their family caregivers. However, these behaviours are rarely defined from the perspectives of both individuals, a necessary step to developing interventions targeting meaningful goals for individuals and caregivers. This study aimed to (1) explore and confirm the perspective of individuals with TBI living in the community and their family caregivers on behaviours they consider challenging and, (2) identify overlapping or distinct views on challenging behaviours.

Is research on 'smart living environments' based on unobtrusive technologies for older adults going in circles? Evidence from an umbrella review.

Context And Aims: To enable ageing in place, innovative and integrative technologies such as smart living environments may be part of the solution. Despite extensive published literature reviews on this topic, the effectiveness of smart living environments in supporting ageing in place, and in particular involving unobtrusive technologies, remains unclear. The main objective of our umbrella review was to synthesize evidence on this topic.

Smart Assistive Technology for Cooking for People With Cognitive Impairments Following a Traumatic Brain Injury: User Experience Study.

Background: User experience (UX), including usability, should be formally assessed multiple times throughout the development process to optimize the acceptability and integration of a new technology before implementing it within the home environment of people living with cognitive impairments.

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify UX issues, notably usability issues, and factors to consider for the future implementation of the COOK (Cognitive Orthosis for Cooking) within the home of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to identify modifications to improve the technology.

Methods: This study comprised two rounds of UX evaluations, including extensive usability testing, which were completed in a laboratory context: 3 sessions with 5 experts and, after improvement of COOK, 2 sessions with 10 participants with TBI.

Effectiveness of smart living environments to support older adults to age in place in their community: an umbrella review protocol.

Introduction: Frailty is a vulnerable condition exposing older adults to incidental adverse health events that negatively impact their quality of life and increase health and social costs. Digital solutions may play a key role in addressing this global problem and in particular, smart living environments. Smart living environments involve a notion of measurement or collection of data via several sensors, capturing the person's behaviours in the home or the person's health status over a long period of time.

Implementation of an assistive technology for meal preparation within a supported residence for adults with acquired brain injury: a mixed-methods single case study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of implementing an assistive technology for meal preparation called COOK within a supported community residence for a person with an acquired brain injury.

Methods: Using a mixed-methods approach, a multiple baseline single-case experimental design and a descriptive qualitative study were conducted. The participant was a 47-year-old woman with cognitive impairments following a severe stroke.

Providing Verbal Assistance When Assessing Individuals Living with a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Occupational therapists play a major role in identifying the assistance needs of individuals living with a traumatic brain injury. However, to obtain an accurate assessment, verbal assistance should be provided only when necessary, according to the person's needs. This study aimed to understand (1) how verbal assistance is provided during an evaluation of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and (2) why it is provided in this manner.

Potential of using an assistive technology to address meal preparation difficulties following acquired brain injury: clients' and caregivers' perspectives.

Objectives: This study explored difficulties in meal preparation experienced by adults with moderate to severe acquired brain injury (ABI) and available compensatory strategies from both ABI individuals' and caregivers' perspectives. Further, this study investigated their opinions on potential benefits, barriers and facilitators to the use of the Cognitive Orthosis for coOKing (COOK) in their living environment.

Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive approach, semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups were carried out with adults with moderate to severe ABI ( = 20) and formal and informal caregivers ( = 13) in Ontario and Quebec, Canada.

Potential advantages, barriers, and facilitators of implementing a cognitive orthosis for cooking for individuals with traumatic brain injury: the healthcare providers' perspective.

Purpose: Considering the key role of health care providers in integrating assistive technologies into clinical settings (e.g., in/outpatient rehabilitation) and home, this study explored the care providers' perspectives on to the implementation of the Cognitive Orthosis for coOking (COOK) for adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) within clinical contexts and homes.

Using a cognitive orthosis to support older adults during meal preparation: Clinicians' perspective on COOK technology.

Introduction: Occupational therapists promote safety and autonomy of older adults with cognitive impairments. A technology, named COOK, offers support on a touch screen installed next to the stove to support task performance while correcting risky behaviors. We aimed to document (1) the functional profiles according the diagnosis (2) the types of interventions used to increase autonomy in the kitchen (3) the facilitators and obstacles to the implementation of COOK with this clientele.

Perceived needs and difficulties in meal preparation of people living with traumatic brain injury in a chronic phase: Supporting long-term services and interventions.

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a chronic medical condition with life-long consequences. Meal preparation is one of the most significant activities impacted by TBI even after more than 10 years post-trauma. However, substantial gaps exist in our understanding of how exactly it is affected.

Preventing emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalisations of older adults with cognitive impairment compared with the general senior population: what do we know about avoidable incidents? Results from a scoping review.

Objectives: Older cognitively impaired adults present a higher risk of hospitalisation and mortality following a visit to the emergency department (ED). Better understanding of avoidable incidents is needed to prevent them and the associated ED presentations in community-dwelling adults. This study aimed to synthetise the actual knowledge concerning these incidents leading this population to ED presentation, as well as possible preventive measures to reduce them.

Assistive Technology Addressing Safety Issues in Dementia: A Scoping Review.

Safety is an issue for older adults with dementia because they are at risk for various incidents. Intelligent assistive technology (IAT) may mitigate risks while promoting independence and reducing the impact on the caregiver of supporting a relative with dementia. The aim of this scoping review was to describe IATs and to identify factors to consider when selecting one.

Preventing avoidable incidents leading to a presentation to the emergency department (ED) by older adults with cognitive impairment: protocol for a scoping review.

Introduction: Older adults with cognitive impairment represent a large portion (21-42%) of people (65+) who consult at an emergency department (ED). Because this sub-group is at higher risk for hospitalisation and mortality following an ED visit, awareness about 'avoidable' incidents should be increased in order to prevent presentations to the ED due to such incidents. This study aims to synthetise the actual knowledge related to 'avoidable' incidents (ie, traumatic injuries, poisoning and other consequences of external causes) (WHO, 2016) leading to ED presentations in older people with cognitive impairment.