Project 170755

An older adult with Alzheimer's disease is often unable to independently complete activities of daily living (ADL) such as self- care activities, because he/she cannot remember the proper sequence of steps that must be completed. The current solution is for a caregiver, who is typically a spouse or a child, to accompany the person and provide prompts and reminders for each step that needs to be completed. Through initial funding, we have made significant progress on a technological solution to this problem. We developed an automated prompting system called the COACH (Cognitive Orthosis for Assisting aCtivities in the Home), which is able to track the actions of an older adult during a specific ADL (i.e., handwashing), and provide verbal and/or visual prompts as needed. We have proven the efficacy of this system for this particular ADL with older adults with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease in a long-term care facility. We are now preparing to expand the COACH to include other ADLs, and for use in the home. However, we will need to implement several improvements to our current algorithms to achieve these goals. The objective of this project is to develop and test the necessary algorithms needed to further improve and expand the COACH to achieve our overall goal of a pervasive ADL prompting system for use in the home. Once the system has been developed, we will conduct an efficacy study using representative ADLs. We will complete these new trials within the homes of several older adults with Alzheimer's disease. This research project will have a positive effect on the lives of many older adults with AD, as well on their professional and family caregivers. This type of system will offer further evidence that a technological approach can be used to help people with AD to remain in their own homes longer and provide them with a sense of independence and dignity.

development and in-home efficacy testing of a pervasive prompting system for ADLs in older adults with dementia