I-Can-Do : Developing Digital Accessibility for the Dementia Volunteer Service using Co-Design, 2023-2024

Dementia is a key health priority. With no cure, there is a need for psychosocial interventions at the early stages, to help people maintain their health, wellbeing and independence as long as possible. The ICanDo Service allows people living with mild dementia to plan, connect with and participate in tailored volunteering opportunities to realise themselves and stay connected to the society. While we successfully trialled the service in 2022, we identified two shortcomings: 1. The previous I-Can-Do Service model helped to identify participants interests, but provided limited support to participants during volunteering. The research revealed that the implementation of the ICanDo Service requires a number of further support measures, including training, assistance and regular reviews to support and safeguard participants of the service appropriately. 2. The physical booklet used in the sessions was not fully utilised. As a result, the recommendation arose to develop a complementary interactive digital version of the booklet to enable sharing notes and actions with all relevant users and stakeholders involved in delivering the service. The aims of this project were to co-develop the ICanDo Service model and an interactive digital workbook to make it more accessible, user-friendly and scalable. This project is made up of two parts: 1. The full-service model and the ICanDo Service trial. 2. The development of the digital prototype. Co-design is an approach that actively involves all relevant stakeholders to develop design ideas, make design decisions, and develop workable products. The underlying idea is to design with all stakeholders to help sure the result meets their needs and is usable. Insights from the previous sessions were presented in subsequent co-design sessions to explore speculative design ideas in an iterative process. 11 co-design sessions were conducted with people with dementia, care partners, care and volunteer professionals and those with volunteering experience. This Open Access folder includes all data generated for the development of the digital prototype and the full-service model.<p>With rising numbers of cases, dementia is a key health priority. With no cure, there is a need for psychosocial interventions, especially at the early stages, to help people maintain their health, wellbeing and independence as long as possible. The challenge for supporting people at the early stages of dementia is in providing an individualised and tailored offer of activities in their local community that meets their interests and needs, that is not perceived at stigmatising, and that allows them to make a contribution for which they feel valued. The IDoService offers such a novel and innovative programme. It supports people with a recent diagnosis of dementia in identifying, participating and contributing to social activities in their community by connecting them to local volunteer services. The Service is built around a core 3-session plan, delivered by the wellbeing mentor, which allows people to explore their strengths and interests, get to know what is available locally and to decide what they want to do in a safe and convivial way. We have successfully trialled the service with Age UK Salford in 2022. We propose now to develop an interactive digital version to make it more user-friendly and easily scalable.</p>痴呆（Dementia）是一项核心健康优先议题。目前尚无治愈方案，因此亟需在疾病早期阶段开展社会心理干预（psychosocial interventions），帮助患者尽可能长久地维持健康状态、良好福祉与独立生活能力。ICanDo服务可为轻度痴呆患者提供规划支持，协助其对接并参与定制化志愿活动，以实现自我价值并维持社会联结。我们已于2022年成功完成该服务的试点，但也识别出两处不足： 1. 原ICanDo服务模式仅能协助参与者发掘兴趣，但在志愿活动参与过程中为参与者提供的支持较为有限。研究表明，ICanDo服务的落地实施需增设多项配套支持措施，包括培训、协助与定期复盘，以恰当支持并保障服务参与者的权益与安全。 2. 试点阶段使用的实体手册未得到充分利用。据此，项目组提出开发配套的交互式数字手册版本，以便与所有参与服务交付的相关用户及利益相关方共享记录与行动方案。 本项目的目标是协同开发ICanDo服务模式与交互式数字工作手册，提升其可及性、用户友好度与可扩展性。本项目包含两部分内容： 1. 完整服务模式与ICanDo服务试点； 2. 数字原型开发。 协同设计（Co-design）是一种积极吸纳所有相关利益相关方参与设计构思、决策制定与可行产品开发的方法。其核心理念是与所有利益相关方共同开展设计，确保最终成果符合各方需求且具备可用性。此前试点阶段的调研洞察会在后续的协同设计研讨会上进行分享，以迭代式探索前瞻性设计方案。项目组共开展了11场协同设计研讨会，参与方包括痴呆患者、照护者、照护与志愿专业人士以及具备志愿活动经验的人员。 本开放获取文件夹包含了为开发数字原型与完整服务模式所生成的全部数据。 随着病例数量持续增长，痴呆已成为一项核心健康优先议题。目前尚无治愈手段，因此亟需开展社会心理干预，尤其是在疾病早期阶段，以帮助患者尽可能长久地维持健康、福祉与独立生活能力。针对早期痴呆患者的支持挑战，在于如何在当地社区中为其提供个性化定制的活动方案，契合其兴趣与需求，且不会让患者感受到污名化，同时允许患者做出能让自身感受到价值的贡献。 IDoService正是这样一项新颖的创新项目。该服务通过将近期确诊痴呆的患者对接至本地志愿组织，协助其发掘、参与并投身社区社交活动。服务以由福祉导师主导的三节核心课程为基础，帮助患者探索自身优势与兴趣，了解本地可参与的活动，并以安全且融洽的方式确定自身想要参与的活动。我们已于2022年与Age UK Salford合作完成了该服务的试点。本次项目拟开发交互式数字版本，以提升其用户友好度与可扩展性。