This blog post was written for Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science at IU School of Medicine, while I was a Strategic Digital Communications intern back in 2018-2019.
Technology has taken a place in caring for our loved ones by providing some wonderful tools, both for those with Alzheimer’s and for those who care for them. This can include engaging a loved one with Alzheimer’s, aiding with behavioral management, creating a safer environment, or monitoring from a distance. Below are two examples of how technology can be useful in engaging with those who have Alzheimer’s or other related dementias.
IPod and earbuds
I recently visited an adult daycare center to explore volunteer opportunities with them. There, I chanced upon an elderly man in his late 70’s who seemed to be enjoying his time there. I was told that he had Alzheimer’s and that he came in three times a week. This allowed him an opportunity to engage with other seniors in a safe and structured environment while his wife, the primary care giver, got a chance to take care of her own personal and health needs, manage their home and keep up with her church commitments.
Towards the end of the day when others were departing, I noticed that he suddenly became agitated by the commotion of the departures of other fellow seniors. However, what took me by surprise was that in order to minimize his agitation and risk of wandering out the door with them, this care center and his wife had collaborated on loading an iPod with his favorite classical music. With earphones and an iPod, he was soon enough easily soothed. He became focused on listening, seeming less distracted by the commotion of the late afternoon. This was technology in action! The iPod turned out to be a great solution, both for his agitation and for his safety.
Videography and memory jogging
In yet another example, a group of high school children from Michigan worked on a project to create a real-life video experience for individuals facing memory loss. This idea was sparked off by the CEO of EHM Senior Solutions, a senior living and care provider in Saline, MI.
For this project, four students from Saline High School’s STEAM Program (science, technology, engineering arts and manufacturing program) were paired with adults with memory impairment. All the students were asked to record images and interviews from a person’s life that he or she could access to help with memory recall. Students worked closely with team members of EHM’s Memory Support Center and Adult Day Program. They also received training from a project manager and videography leader from iN2L (It’s Never 2 Late), the technology company that supplied its touchscreen FOCUS tablet to record and store the videos.
According to Deb Hipp at Alzeimers.net (2018), “The FOCUS tablet offers brain fitness and memory games but can also hold personal photos and videos to prompt memory recall. Around 2,000 senior living communities in North America use iN2L’s touchscreen technology in group and individual settings to provide better memory care for residents” (para 7).
Helmer, one of the senior high school students, was assigned to Arlene who, lived at EHM’s Brecon Village’s Memory Support Center. Helmer feared that she’d mistaken someone else for her video subject. Fortunately, EHM staff steered Helmer away from trying to form a connection with details that Arlene could not always remember. She was told to start with simple things. They guided her towards connecting with her through human emotions. Helmer spent three months filming and editing Arlene. The mobile device broke down barriers of age and cognitive differences between Arlene and Helmer. Arlene was thrilled with the new device that she had not seen before and Helmer was proud of the content she would put together that captured this person’s life.
In Arlene’s interview video, Arlene’s daughter nudged Arlene to recall her old Girl Scout camping nickname, “Fearless,” and that of her co-leader, “Doubtful.” When Arlene heard that name, she chuckled and said how she forgot about Doubtful. At another point, Arlene sang along to her favorite song, “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.” During the interview, Arlene often fumbled, when she was unable to recall how many children she had. Other times, her eyes would light up, when she talked about her love of reading or her thirty years delivering Meals on Wheels. Helmer also took a video of Arlene’s quaint house, which was set back on a yard filled with swaying sunflowers and a vegetable garden. Arlene had tended that garden for years, selling the produce and donating 50% of proceeds to a food bank in Ann Arbor.
At the end of this project, Arlene’s daughter also received her mother’s video on a tablet. This way she could easily access memory-jogging footage, allowing her to connect with her mother. So, instead of initial awkwardness when a parent cannot remember their children’s names, the images would aid in relating to one another.
Implementing innovations in Alzheimer’s care
As is evident from the above two scenarios, technology use to reach an individual with Alzheimer’s or dementia can be helpful. Technology definitely helps in maximizing independence, improving quality of life, reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms, and reducing caregiver burden. Who would have thought technology, now embraced by so many in younger generations, would have applications for one with Alzheimer’s? Changes in care like this are innovative, and implementing them is simple.
If only we had technology like this in the 90’s. It would surely have helped us in connecting with my grand mom in-law – a victim of Alzheimers.
Citations
Walker (2018, May 8). Navigating the world of Alzheimer’s disease: An Educational Guide for Family Members. Retrieved from https://commons.emich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1608&context=honors
National Institute on Aging (2019, May 22). Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet
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