Public defence: Sehrish Andleeb Akhtar
Sehrish Andleeb Akhtar will defend her thesis "Social technology in nursing homes – A path to improved care?” for the PhD in Social Sciences, specialization in Social Work and Social Policy.
Sehrish Andleeb Akhtar will defend her thesis "Social technology in nursing homes – A path to improved care?” for the PhD in Social Sciences, specialization in Social Work and Social Policy.
The trial lecture and public defence will also be streamed live (oslomet.zoom.us).
Webinar ID: 660 8099 1868
The thesis is available here (nva.sikt.no).
Leader of the public defence: Vice Dean of research Steen Steensen, Faculty of Social Sciences, OsloMet.
Social connections are essential for quality of life in later life, yet many nursing home residents face barriers to maintaining meaningful contact with family and friends. This dissertation examines whether a communication technology called Komp can help residents stay socially connected with family members and improve aspects of their psychosocial well-being.
The research is based on data from approximately 340 Komp devices implemented in 19 public nursing homes in Oslo, Norway. Combining survey data from residents, relatives, and nursing staff with objective usage data, the study shows that greater use of Komp is associated with increased satisfaction with social contact among both residents and their relatives. Increased use was also linked to small reductions in psychological distress among residents. The findings suggest that tailored communication technologies can support social care practices and strengthen meaningful family connections in nursing homes.