A Mobile Multimedia Reminiscence Therapy Application to Reduce Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Persons with Alzheimer’s

Abstract

The goal of this project is to develop a novel and innovative mobile solution to address behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) that occur in individuals with Alzheimer's. BPSD can include agitation, restlessness, aggression, apathy, obsessive-compulsive and repetitive behaviors, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and wandering. Alzheimer's currently affects 5.4 million adults in the United States and that number is projected to increase to 14 million by 2050. Almost 90% of all affected with AD experience BPSD, resulting in increased healthcare costs, heavier burden on caregivers, poor patient outcomes, early nursing home placement, long-term hospitalizations, and misuse of medications. Pharmacological support may have undesirable side effects such as sedation. Nonpharmacological interventions are alternative solutions that have shown to be effective without undesirable side effects. Music therapy has been found to lower BPSD symptoms significantly. Our study is based on combination of the reminiscence and the music therapies where past memorable events are recalled using prompts such as photos, videos, and music. We are proposing a mobile multimedia solution, a technical version of the combined reminiscence, and music therapies to prevent the occurrence of BPSD, especially for the rural population who have reduced access to dementia care services.

Reminiscence therapy for older adults with Alzheimer's disease: A literature review

“…The therapy has shown significant improvement in patient's cognition, depression, activities of daily living, and quality of life. However, three of the studies (Hashim et al, ; Imtiaz et al, ; Lancioni et al, ) used technology with reminiscence therapy aided with a personalized digital memory book, mobile application, and a computer‐aided programme. There was evidence to the effectiveness of this despite having patients who were not born in the digital era.…”

“…Patients showed improvement in terms of increased recall of deeply embedded memory and return of happy memories. Patients showed improvement in autobiographical remembering when exposed to an environment that is highly stimulating such as music and objects associated with the patient's past life (Imtiaz et al, ; Kirk et al, ).…”

“…In one study, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Barthel Index (Li et al, ) was used. Results showed an improvement in patient's emotional functions making them calmer, with less behavioural and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (Asiret & Kapucu, ; Imtiaz et al, ; Li et al, ; Lök et al, ). In the area of quality of life, including the ability to perform activities of daily living, patients showed specific improvement in social or verbal engagement.…”

“…This should be tailored in its user interface design and in the hardware used. It is also recommended that patients with Alzheimer's disease have access to an individualized multisensory mobile multimedia environment to aid in reminiscence therapy (Hashim et al, ; Imtiaz et al, ; Li et al, ). Literature supports the use of reminiscence therapy as a nonpharmacologic intervention among older adults with Alzheimer's (Li et al, ).…”

CareD: Non-Pharmacological Assistance for Dementia Patients

“…Pharmacological treatments may lead to side effects such as sedation while non-pharmacological alternatives are more effective without undesirable effects. [8] Good AD consultants use non-pharmacological cures first to treat an AD Patient and resort to pharmacological treatments when the former do not yield desired result [9]. The non-drug treatments include various Cognitive, Physical, Emotional and Social Stimulation therapies that can be provided by the health care unit [10].…”