Award Date: 2017

Project Lead(s): Einat Danieli, Project Manager

Project Title: Dementia Talk App

What is the issue? 

Many caregivers experience difficulty managing and tracking the behavioural symptoms of their loved ones with dementia. As a result, it is hard for them to communicate with healthcare providers, adding to their sense of loneliness.  

What did we do? 

We expanded and tested an award-winning smartphone app called Dementia Talk. It allows caregivers to track and manage their loved ones’ behaviours and communicate with healthcare providers. We added scheduling and medication alert features and made the app compatible for web and tablet users. Sixteen caregivers tested the app at home for three weeks and provided feedback in phone interviews.  

What did we find?  

The app provided helpful content. One hundred percent of participants found the App easy to use and relevant to their situation. The behaviour tracker was the most used feature. The triggers and coping strategies were very useful. Over half of the caregivers felt they needed more time to make full use the app and some made suggestions for improvements.