*2.2. Data and Measures*

Basic socio-demographic data such as gender, age, marital status and living situation of the person with dementia were available for both the TECH@HOME and the UP-TECH samples, as well as data on the age, gender, occupation, education and caring situation of the caregivers. In addition, the questionnaires administered by the research nurses in both studies included reliable and valid instruments to address several clinical (related to diseases and other clinical conditions) and functional dimensions (related to the individual cognitive and physical functioning, e.g., ADL, IADL and MMSE). The rationale for also evaluating these dimensions in our study is that literature has vastly confirmed the existence of multiple explanatory factors behind the use of health and social care resources. The Andersen–Newman healthcare utilization model [32], for instance, suggests that use of resources could depend on the actual needs of a person as well as on the socio-environmental characteristics of the individual and his/her family. The procedures used for data collection are thoroughly described in details elsewhere [29,30]. In both studies, information on cognitive function, as measured by the MMSE [31], was available. The MMSE is a 30-point questionnaire extensively used in clinical and research settings to measure cognitive impairment. A score greater or equal to 24 points indicates intact functioning, while below this threshold can indicate severe ( ≤9), moderate (10–18) or mild (19–23) cognitive impairment. Data on ADL were collected by means of the Interrai ADL Hierarchy Scale [33]. This scale includes four items rating the functional status in relation to self-performance (i.e., personal hygiene, toilet use, locomotion, and eating), which are summarized in a hierarchical scale that ranges from 0 (no impairment) to 6 (totally dependent). Dependence in IADL were assessed using the IADL Involvement Scale, which is based on seven IADL-related items, summarized in a scale that ranges from 0 to 48, with higher scores indicating greater dependency [34]. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) was used in both studies to assess caregiver's level of psychological health [35]. HADS includes 14 items; seven items related to anxiety and seven items related to depression. Each item is assessed on a Likert scale that ranges from 0 to 3 and the overall scores range from 0 to 21 in both anxiety and depression where 0–7 is consistent with absence of the conditions [35].
