Examining the availability of information on welfare technologies for people living with dementia in Sweden - a scoping review

PurposeThis review examines the availability of information on welfare technologies for people living with dementia in Sweden.Materials and methodsA scoping review of 21 counties and 290 municipalities was conducted to assess the degree of information provided on welfare technologies.ResultsThe findings of this review indicate that most Swedish municipalities offer limited information regarding these technologies. Additionally, we conducted a mapping survey to identify the various welfare technologies offered by each county based on the available online material.ConclusionsWe argue that greater attention should be given not only to how information is provided but also to the extent to which it is provided to people with dementia and their relatives. Improving these aspects is crucial for making informed decisions. Finally, our review suggests that counties and municipalities should coordinate with local and national resources (e.g., Alzheimer Sweden) to deliver more accurate information through different media forms. The information presented about welfare technologies varies greatly between municipalities and counties, which ultimately affects the capacity of people with dementia and their relatives to make informed decisions surrounding the use of these technologies.The geographical location can influence the availability of options (welfare technologies). Hence, people with dementia and their relatives may not have the same number of options as others who reside in a different municipality or county.Searching for information online can prove to be cumbersome as the information is not clearly found in the right pathways.Greater collaboration is required by the counties, municipalities, and dementia organizations to provide accurate and easily accessible information about welfare technologies to people with dementia and their relatives.