title: Persons with moderate Alzheimer's disease use simple technology aids to manage daily activities and leisure occupation.
abstract: Two studies assessed technology-aided programs to support performance of daily activities and selection/activation of music items with patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease. In Study I, four patients were presented with activity-related pictorial instructions via a computer fitted with inexpensive, commercial software. In Study II, four patients were (a) presented with different music options and (b) allowed to select and activate the preferred option via a microswitch response. Study I showed that each patient learned to perform the two activities available with percentages of correct responses exceeding 85 by the end of the intervention. Study II showed that all patients learned to choose and activate music options. Psychology students, employed in a social validation check, scored the patients' behavior within the program better than their behavior in a control situation. The relevance and usability of simplified pictorial-instruction programs and music choice programs for patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease were discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Bari, Italy. Electronic address: giulio.lancioni@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Giulio E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lancioni
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, USA.
authors.forename: Nirbhay N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.affiliation: Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sigafoos
authors.affiliation: Domus Maxima Care Center, Casamassima, BA, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Renna
authors.affiliation: Alzheimer Association Services, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Memory Drops Day Center, Giovinazzo, BA, Italy.
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Vanna
authors.affiliation: University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Caffò
authors.affiliation: Lega F. D'Oro Research Center, Molfetta, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stasolla
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003201:Computers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009146:Music; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Daily activities; Leisure; Music; Technology