Follow for more talkers

Smartphones ‘can help people with Alzheimer’s remember daily tasks’

Avatar photo

Published

on
Senior Man Using Smart phone

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Smartphones can help people with Alzheimer's remember daily tasks, according to new research.

Memory aids would improve the quality of life for older people in the early stages of the disease, say scientists.

Digital voice recorders and reminder apps improved their ability to carry out regular chores - after just four weeks.

via GIPHY

They can range from keeping appointments to delivering messages and taking medications as prescribed.

In the study, 52 people with mild dementia or MCI (mild cognitive impairment) were coached on how to use the devices.

The results in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found they enjoyed using the technology - contrary to popular belief.

It could help patients retain their independence for longer. Around 5.8 million people in the US re living with Alzheimer's, according to the CDC.

Worldwide, the number of cases will triple to over 150 million in the next three decades.

"There is this pervasive notion older adults dislike technology," said lead author professor Michael Skullin, of Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

"But we found participants enjoyed learning to use smartphone memory apps and were able to improve their daily prospective memory performance.

"Technology companies have an opportunity to improve broad adoption of smartphone memory aids in older adults and persons with mild stages of Alzheimer's disease by tailoring the interface and user experience of their reminder apps to this demographic and by incorporating age diversity into their marketing campaigns.

"With the help of smart technology companies, we can make great headway on improving functioning and quality of life for families impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias."

The volunteers also did relatively well when the investigators assigned them with tasks.

Performance levels favored the reminder app in the first week, but reversed towards the digital voice recorder by the fourth.

Greater usage of the digital recorder or reminder apps was associated with better memory and greater improvements in daily living activities.

Smartphone aids, free and broadly available, should be shared with patients and carers to boost quality of life and independence.

"A decline in the ability to perform daily intentions - known as prospective memory - is a key driver of everyday functional impairment in dementia," Skullin said.

Currently, there are no drugs that treat the causes of the devastating memory robbing disease.

"Older adults with cognitive disorders can learn smartphone-based memory strategies," Skullin said.

"Doing so benefits prospective memory functioning and independence."

The ability to remember to perform daily chores has been called a 'signature' decline of Alzheimer's and related dementias.

"Prospective memory is critical to maintaining independent daily functioning," Skullin said.

Participants used a lab-provided Microsoft Lumia, Samsung Galaxy, iPhone or their personal smartphone device.

"The current work indicates smartphone-based interventions for prospective memory are feasible and acceptable in persons with mild dementia," Skullin said.

"It provides preliminary evidence smartphone interventions can improve everyday prospective memory functioning.

"Importantly, the more participants used their apps the more care partners reported that they improved.

"Each of these outcomes is a promising signal smart technology can reduce the negative impact of neurodegenerative conditions on prospective memory, quality of life and independent functioning."

Stories and infographics by ‘Talker Research’ are available to download & ready to use. Stories and videos by ‘Talker News’ are managed by SWNS. To license content for editorial or commercial use and to see the full scope of SWNS content, please email [email protected] or submit an inquiry via our contact form.

Top Talkers