title: Distributed cognition, dementia, and technology.
abstract: The devastating effects of dementia result from cognitive degradation, in particular, working-memory (short-term memory) and planning processes. In supporting people with dementia, carers must take over these cognitive functions on behalf of the other person. This is an exhausting job. Technology may be able to offer assistance here. Its development will be encouraged by viewing cognition as a distributed process, and not just as something that happens inside one person's head. This paper argues for this approach, with examples from existing technical and non-technical systems of support for people with dementia which have been proven to work.
authors: School of Computing, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK.
authors: Norman
authors: N
authors: Alm
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000523:psychology; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface