Using Smartphones to Increase Independence for

People with Dementia

Dr Beverley CookKrishan Patel

Overview

•Aims of the projects

•Motivation

•System details

•Evaluation and Future work

Aim of the Project

•To increase independence for dementia patients and reduce the need for home visits

•By:–creating a system for carers to provide reminders which are accessible from an Android smartphone

–providing further functionality useful for dementia patients and their carers

Motivation

•Dementia affects millions of people worldwide [1]

•Caring for dementia patients costs £23billion a year, expected to reach £50billion by 2038 [2]

•Utilize common technology

System Architecture

Errand Database

Add errandsView errands

Errand completed

Monitor errands

Patient Carer

Carer Website

•Add New Errands

•Amend/Delete Errands

•Mark Errands as complete

Patient Application

•View Errands

•Notes

•Contacts

•Reminders

•Assistance

Patient Application

•View Errands – see a list of current and future errands

Patient Application

•Notes – enter short notes within the app

•Contacts – easy communication to a list of contacts within the app

•Reminders – add and view a list of private reminders not shared with the carer.

Patient Application

•Assistance – ‘Panic Button’, quick way to contact the carer or emergency services

Evaluation and Future Work

•System demonstrated to Assistive Technology Project manager at Luton Borough Council, and a social worker

• Identified improvements to usability and suggested new features which will inform future work

Usability improvements

•Expand user base to those with other mental health issues

•Provide options to increase text and button size

•Use images instead of text

•Use audio recordings for notifications

Functionality

• Improve notes function with handwriting recognition or speech recognition

•GPS tracking, navigation and ‘geo-fencing’

•Falls detector

Conclusions

• A novel reminder system for dementia patients has been presented.

• The system will increase the patient’s independence, whilst reducing the time and cost.

• The results of an initial evaluation have confirmed the feasibility of the system

• suggestions for improvements and extra functionality which will inform the future work on this project.

•

References

[1] Alzheimer's Disease International, 2010. Dementia Statistics [online]. Available at: http://www.alz.co.uk/research/statistics [Accessed Feb/15 2013].

[2] Alzheimer's Society, 2013. The dementia guide [online]. http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=2227 [Accessed Sept/9 2013].

Using Smartphones to Increase Independence for

People with Dementia

Dr Beverley CookKrishan Patel