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Digital life storybooks for people with dementia living in care homes: an evaluation
Subramaniam P, Woods B.. Clinical interventions in aging, 2016-09-16
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background and aim There is increasing interest in using information and communication technology to help older adults with dementia to engage in reminiscence work. Now, the feasibility of such approaches is beginning to be established. The purpose of this study was to establish an evidence-base for the acceptability and efficacy of using multimedia digital life storybooks with people with dementia in care homes, in comparison with conventional life storybooks, taking into account the perspectives of people with dementia, their relatives, and care staff. Methods Participatory design was used to create a life story movie based on a previously completed conventional life storybook with six older adults with dementia (four females; mean age 82 years). Relatives were involved in helping the participant to provide additional information and materials for the digital life storybook. In this multiple case study design, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. For quantitative purposes, a set of questionnaires that had been completed three times before and after the conventional life storybook was developed were repeated 4 weeks after the life story movie was completed. Semistructured interview questions were designed to collect feedback from participants, relatives, and care staff. Results The result indicated that five of the six participants showed additional improvement in measures of quality of life and autobiographical memory. All participants showed improvement or stability in depression scores. Thematic analysis showed that, participants, relatives, and care home staff viewed digital life storybooks as a very useful tool triggering memories and (largely) positive emotions. Participants' case vignettes were presented to document the impact of digital life storybook.
Key findings
- Results The result indicated that five of the six participants showed additional improvement in measures of quality of life and autobiographical memory.
- Thematic analysis showed that, participants, relatives, and care home staff viewed digital life storybooks as a very useful tool triggering memories and (largely) positive emotions.
Why it matters
In this small study of six care home residents with dementia, five showed additional improvement in quality of life and autobiographical memory after digital life storybooks, and staff viewed the tool positively. It is a small preliminary evaluation of a reminiscence activity and does not test treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Clinical interventions in aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Clinical Interventions in Aging: journal h-index 138 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 128 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.7 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 38 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ponnusamy Subramaniam: h-index 22 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Bangor University: institution h-index 484 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27698556) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.2147/cia.s111097
- PubMed: 27698556
- Original source →
- Free full text: Clinical Interventions in Aging →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Subramaniam, P., & Woods, B. (2016). Digital life storybooks for people with dementia living in care homes: an evaluation. Clinical interventions in aging. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s111097
Vancouver
Subramaniam P, Woods B. Digital life storybooks for people with dementia living in care homes: an evaluation. Clinical interventions in aging. 2016. doi:10.2147/cia.s111097. PMID: 27698556.
BibTeX
@article{subramaniam2016-27698556,
author = {Subramaniam, P. and Woods, B.},
title = {{Digital life storybooks for people with dementia living in care homes: an evaluation}},
journal = {Clinical interventions in aging},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.2147/cia.s111097},
pmid = {27698556},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s111097}
}
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