What role can social media play in healthcare?

Victoria Betton is a social media & mental health PhD researcher, Deputy Director at Leeds & York NHS PFT. She tweets at @VictoriaBetton and blogs atdigitalmentalhealth.co.uk. Re-blogged from the BGS blog.

Social media is the term used for online platforms which enable people to consume information as well as produce their own content – from 140 character updates on Twitter through to sharing photos on Instagram, and much more besides. Whether we use social networks or not, they are increasingly incorporated into day to day life, and not just for younger people:  Age UK report that the number of 55-64 year old internet users creating a social network profile rose by almost half last year, and many use social networking to keep in touch with family and friends and to reduce social isolation.

Driving with Dementia

Professor Joseph E Ibrahim (MBBS, GradCertHE, PhD, FRACP, FAFPHM) of The Victoria and Tasmania Dementia Training Study Centre and Monash University introduces his short animation about people with dementia who want to continue to drive. (This was first blogged on the BGS Blog site).

Assessing a patient’s fitness to continue driving a motor vehicle following a diagnosis of dementia presents an important personal, professional and community challenge. The revocation of a person’s license is a traumatic event that significantly impacts on their quality of life. This is especially so for patients who are living in regional and rural areas. This animated video addresses some of the complex issues involved in assessing whether a person with dementia is fit to drive.

Insights from the older adult population: new technology perceptions

Lisa Thomas is a Senior Researcher within the Psychology and Communication Technology (PaCT) Research Group in the Department of Psychology at Northumbria University. They tweet at @PaCTLab. (First published on the BGS blog)

In PaCT Lab at Northumbria University, the inclusion of older adults in research projects is commonplace. Digital technology holds the promise of enriching the lives of older adults, but many are still confused by it. Our research is aimed at understanding how to design technology to help older adults live healthier, more connected and socially engaged lives.