Paper short abstract:

With this research, I explore how home-based technologies, specifically the Amazon Echo can support the autonomy and safety of both caregivers and care recipients subsequent to the onset of cognitive disability (i.e. before the progression to severe neurocognitive disorder).

Paper long abstract:

Mutually supportive technology - a technology that could potentially maintain both actor's (caregiver and care recepient) psychosocial needs - will allow for an adequate negotiation of autonomy and safety between the care recipient with mNCD and their familial caregivers. This in turn will shift the actors' predominant narrative from the impact of the decline on both actors to the state of the biopsychosocial well-being of both actors.

To explore this question, I am utilizing a technology that can be used by and can potentially support all actors in the family system - a home based digital agent, or smart speaker that combines voice recognition and possesses intelligent assistant capabilities; specifically, the commercially available Amazon Echo. This technology can afford those affected with mNCD with something they have lost- self reliance, for the caregiver- a feeling of safety for the person they care for, and for both actors- autonomy.