Music Therapy Techniques for Memory Stabilization in Diverse Dementias

Music contains certain unmistakable healing properties pertaining specifically to the matured body and soul affected by various types of dementia. Music therapy aids in memory retention or the retarding of the loss of mental function as a result of Alzheimer\u27s disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, and Senile Dementia. Music can help subjects access lost memories through interaction with a music therapist. Certain music therapy techniques have been shown to yield additional physical, communicative, and psychological benefits. The disease progress of Alzheimer\u27s disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, and Senile Dementia may be further delayed by music therapy when paired with pharmaceutical interventions such as previously established memory enhancing medications

Studies involving people with dementia and touchscreen technology: a literature review

Background: Devices using touchscreen interfaces such as tablets and smartphones have been highlighted as potentially suitable for people with dementia due to their intuitive and simple control method. This population experience a lack of meaningful, engaging activities, yet the potential use of the touchscreen format to address this issue has not been fully realized. Objective: To identify and synthesize the existing body of literature involving the use of touchscreen technology and people with dementia in order to guide future research in this area. Methods: A systematized review of studies in the English language was conducted, where a touchscreen interface was used with human participants with dementia. Results: A total of 45 articles met the inclusion criteria. Four questions were addressed concerning (1) the context of use, (2) reasons behind the selection of the technology, (3) details of the hardware and software, and (4) whether independent use by people with dementia was evidenced. Conclusions: This review presents an emerging body of evidence demonstrating that people with dementia are able to independently use touchscreen technology. The intuitive control method and adaptability of modern devices has driven the selection of this technology in studies. However, its primary use to date has been as a method to deliver assessments and screening tests or to provide an assistive function or cognitive rehabilitation. Building on the finding that people with dementia are able to use touchscreen technology and which design features facilitate this, more use could be made to deliver independent activities for meaningful occupation, entertainment, and fun

Touchscreen interventions and the wellbeing of people with dementia and caregivers: a systematic review

Background: Dementia can have significant detrimental impacts on the wellbeing of those with the disease and their carers. A range of computer-based interventions, including touchscreen-based interventions have been researched for use with this population in the hope that they might improve psychological wellbeing. This article reviews touchscreen-based interventions designed to be used by people with dementia, with a specific focus in assessing their impact on wellbeing. Method: The data bases, PsycInfo, ASSIA, Medline, CINAHL and Cochrane were searched for touchscreen-based interventions designed to be used by people with dementia with reported psychological wellbeing outcomes. Methodological quality was assessed using Pluye et al.’s (2011) Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) checklist. Results: Sixteen papers were eligible. They covered fourteen methodologically diverse interventions. Interventions were reported to be beneficial in relation to mental health, social interaction and sense of mastery. Touchscreen interventions also reportedly benefit informal carers in relation to their perceived burden and the quality of their relationships with the people they care for. Key aspects included the user interface, provision of support, learning style, tailored content, appropriate challenge, ergonomics and users’ dementia progression. Conclusions: Whilst much of the existing research is relatively small-scale, the findings tentatively suggest that touchscreen based interventions can improve the psychological wellbeing of people with dementia, and possibilities for more rigorous future research are suggested

Designing with and for People with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness

Designing with and for People with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness is the International Conference 2019 of the MinD Consortium, the DRS Special Interest Group on Behaviour Change and the DRS Special Interest Group on Wellbeing and Happiness, hosted by the Technische Universität Dresden, in Dresden, Germany. The conference proceedings provide trans-disciplinary contributions for researchers, practitioners, end-users and policy makers from the design and health care professions in terms of new findings, approaches and methods for using design to improve dementia care and to support people with dementia and their carers. The conference has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 691001, and from the DFG German Research Foundation