title: Personalized technology to support older adults with and without cognitive impairment living at home.
abstract: Although persons with dementia (PWD) and their family caregivers need in-home support for common neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), few if any assistive technologies are available to help manage NPS. This implementation study tested the feasibility and adoption of a touch screen technology, the Companion, which delivers psychosocial, nondrug interventions to PWD in their home to address individual NPS and needs. Interventions were personalized and delivered in home for a minimum of 3 weeks. Postintervention measures indicated the technology was easy to use, significantly facilitated meaningful and positive engagement, and simplified caregivers' daily lives. Although intervention goals were met, caregivers had high expectations of their loved one's ability to regain independence. Care recipients used the system independently but were limited by cognitive and physical impairments. We conclude the Companion can help manage NPS and offer caregiver respite at home. These data provide important guidance for design and deployment of care technology for the home.
authors.affiliation: Research & Innovation SimpleC, LLC, Atlanta, GA, USA ckerssens@simplec.com.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kerssens
authors.affiliation: Research & Innovation SimpleC, LLC, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Research & Innovation SimpleC, LLC, Atlanta, GA, USA School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Aptima, Inc, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Camilla C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Knott
authors.affiliation: Research & Innovation SimpleC, LLC, Atlanta, GA, USA School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matalenas
authors.affiliation: Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access, College of Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation R & D Center of Excellence, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Jon A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sanford
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Rogers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012656:Self-Help Devices
keywords: aging in place; assistive technology; caregiver burden; dementia; neuropsychiatric symptoms; nondrug interventions