MindMate: A single case experimental design study of a reminder system for people with dementia

ABSTRACT

Prospective memory difficulties are commonly reported in people with dementia. The evidence supporting the use of prospective memory devices among the dementia population remains limited. MindMate is a recently developed smart device application that aims to support individuals with a diagnosis of dementia, improving self-management skills and quality of life. This study investigated the effectiveness and usability of the reminder tool on the MindMate application as a memory aid. Three participants with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease were recruited to this multiple baseline single-case experimental design study. Partners of the participants recorded their performance on everyday tasks on weekly monitoring forms during a baseline phase (between five and seven weeks) and during the intervention phase (five weeks) whilst using MindMate. Two participants successfully used the app throughout the intervention weeks and gave positive usability ratings. Tau-U analysis showed a significant increase in memory performance between baseline and intervention phase (Tau-U = 1, 0.94, p < .01). A third participant withdrew from the intervention phase following difficulties turning off the reminders and frustrations with the reminder alert sound. For two of the three participants, use of MindMate was feasible and effective in supporting remembering of everyday tasks compared to practice as usual.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitive rehabilitation
• Compensatory strategy
• Dementia
• Memory
• Technology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.