The use of a digital life story to support person-centred care of older adults with dementia: A scoping review.

Introduction: A life story (LS) is a tool healthcare professionals (HCPs) use to help older adults with dementia preserve their identities by sharing their stories. Applied health technology can be considered a niche within welfare technology. Combining technology and nursing, such as using life stories in digital form, may support person-centred care and allow HCPs to see the person behind the disease.

Objective: The study's objective was to summarise and describe the use of life stories in digital form in the daily care of older adults with dementia.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted in five stages. Database searches were conducted in Cinahl, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar; 31 articles were included. A conventional qualitative content analysis of the collected data was conducted.

Results: The qualitative analysis resulted in three categories: (1) benefits for older adults, (2) influence on HCPs' work, and (3) obstacles to implementing a digital LS in daily care.

Conclusion: Older adults with dementia can receive person-centred care through a digital LS based on their wishes. A digital LS can enable symmetric communication and serve as an intergenerational communication tool. It can be used to handle behavioural symptoms. Using a digital LS in the later stages of dementia may differ from using it earlier in dementia. However, it may compensate for weakening abilities in older adults by enhancing social interaction.