Understanding Family and Health Professionals

The study aimed to know the understanding of health professionals regarding assistive technology for alternative communication of the institutionalized elderly and present the conceptual model of the second version of the application for alternative communication of the institutionalized elderly. From the professionals' understanding through suggestions and criticisms regarding the use of assistive technology, a new version of the CNV Mobile Pro application was proposed for alternative communication of the institutionalized elderly with professionals and family members. It is a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study, with a cross-sectional design, carried out with ten health professionals from eight longstay institutions for the elderly. The data were collected between July and October of 2018 by the Focal Group technique and were systematized by NVivo 12, which generated categories of similarities and correlations, using the Bardin content analysis. Professionals understood the benefit, barrier, ease, acceptance and adequacy regarding the use of assistive technology. According to the professionals' understanding, the assistive technology should be used according to the profile of the elderly, older professionals and demented elderly had difficulties to use assistive technology, indicating that regarding the use for the communication of relatives with the elderly this aspect should be also contemplated. We will seek to develop new assistive technologies based on the proposed conceptual model.