DSPs Using and Supporting Technology Use
How are Direct Support Professionals Accessing Technology at Work? Results from the Direct Support Workforce and COVID-19 Survey
A team at the Institute on Community Integration at the University of Minnesota and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals launched a series of surveys during the COVID-19 pandemic to hear about direct support professionals' (DSPs) and frontline supervisors' (FLSs) work experiences. Technology use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fourth survey, launched in 2022, included questions about how people supported, DSPs, and FLSs were using technology. This summary includes some of the results from that survey, which was completed by 2,657 respondents between June and July 2022.
How has Technology Use Changed Since the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Respondents were asked if the use of technology among the people they support had changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While 38% of respondents said that people receiving support use technology the same amount, 28% reported that people use technology somewhat more, and 24% reported that people use technology a lot more. Figure 1 summarizes how the survey’s respondents answered this question about change in technology use among the people they supported.
Respondents were also asked if their own use of technology had changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While 36% of respondents use technology the same, 27% reported using technology some more, and 32% reported using technology a lot more. Figure 2 summarizes how the survey’s respondents answered this question about the change in technology use since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Technology use among respondents and the people supported has increased substantially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over half of respondents reported that they use technology some more or a lot more. Similarly, over half of respondents reported that the people they support use technology some more or a lot more.
Which Types of Technology are People Supported Using?
Respondents were asked what technology the people they supported used in their everyday lives. As seen in Figure 3, 62% said internet-enabled devices for social media (such as a phone, laptop, or iPad), and 57% said videoconferencing (such as Zoom or Skype). One in four (26%) said internet-enabled devices for transportation and GPS (such as a phone, laptop, or iPad), 19% said medication dispensing, 15% said remote home monitoring, and 2% said another type of technology that was not listed. Themes for other responses included communication devices, entertainment related devices, and a general device with no purpose explicitly listed.
Most respondents reported the people they supported were using internet-enabled devices for social media and videoconferencing to connect with others. Over half also reported that the people they supported were using technology somewhat or much more now than at the beginning of the pandemic. Continued investments in technologies that help people have greater control over their lives and access to virtual social interaction are needed to help maintain friendships and social contacts and support relationships in future pandemics and crises.
How Much Support do DSPs have from Their Employer to Use Technology?
Respondents were asked about the level of support they felt their employer provided to ensure staff understood the technology used by the people they supported. There were many different responses to this question. One-third said their employer provided a lot of support, 14% said some support, 36% said a little support, and 17% said none. This is an area where employers and others can develop and provide more resources to support DSPs and FLSs who need help with technology.
How Confident are DSPs in Using Technology Used by People They Support?
Figure 5 is a stacked bar chart that depicts respondent confidence using the different types of technologies used by people supported that were reported in Figure 3. Participants responded for the types of technologies that they indicated people they support use. For video conferencing, 56% felt very confident, 29% felt somewhat confident, 11% felt a little confident, and 4% felt not at all confident. For remote home monitoring, 48% felt very confident, 36% felt somewhat confident, 10% felt a little confident, and 6% felt not at all confident.
For medication dispensing, 67% felt very confident, 21% felt somewhat confident, 9% felt a little confident, and 3% felt not at all confident.
For internet-enabled device for social media, 59% felt very confident, 30% felt somewhat confident, 8% felt a little confident, and 3% felt not at all confident.
For internet enabled device for transportation or GPS, 60% felt very confident, 28% felt somewhat confident, 10% felt a little confident, and 2% felt not at all confident.
For other types of technology, 38% felt very confident, 38% felt somewhat confident, 12% felt a little confident, and 12% felt not at all confident.
Respondents were also asked how confident they felt using different technologies that the people they supported used. Respondents answered only for those options that applied to their work. Figure 5 shows the percentage of confidence from respondents who reported on the technology types the people they support use.
Respondents had different levels of confidence using the technologies used by the people they support. Many respondents were only “somewhat confident” or “a little confident” with the types of technologies they were asked about. Others were “not at all confident” with each type of technology. Training and employer support may be important ways to help DSPs who are less confident become more confident in using and support people to use technology.
How does Technology Impact DSPs’ Work?
Respondents were asked about the overall impact of using technology (such as video conferencing or remote supports) on their own work. They were asked if there was a positive or negative effect or none at all. Responses are summarized in Figure 6. Regarding the impact technology had on respondents’ work, 3% said technology had a very negative impact, 14% said somewhat of a negative impact, 29% said no impact, 36% said somewhat of a positive impact, and 18% said a very positive one. The impact of technology varied across participants. Technology can affect work positively or negatively, depending on how it is used, how it fits, and whether it is used effectively. More attention is needed to determine how technology is accessed and supported by both workers and the people to whom they provide support.
What are the Demographics of People who Responded to this Survey, and in what Settings do they Primarily Work?
Most respondents (76%) indicated they work as DSPs. Twenty-two percent indicated that they worked as frontline supervisors, and 2% indicated that they worked in another support role. The respondents (85%) had a long employment tenure, with the majority working for their primary employer for more than 36 months.
Figure 7 summarizes some of the demographics and work setting information reported. Respondents identified primarily as women (82%) and were 47 years old on average. Respondents identified primarily as white (74%). Another 14 % identified as Black/African American, 7% as Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish, and 5% as two or more races. A small percentage (2% each) also identified as American Indian/Native American, Asian, or another race. Respondents reported working primarily in agency/facility sites (65%), another 25% worked primarily in family or individual homes, 8% in community employment, and 2% worked in another type of site.
Reference
Pettingell, S., Bershadsky, J., Hewitt, A., Lahti Anderson, L., Hall, S., Smith, J., Sanders, M., Kleist, B., Zhang, A., & Oteman, Q. (2022). Direct support workforce and COVID-19 national survey report: 24-month follow-up. Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota.