Exploring assistive technology as a potential beneficial intervention tool for people with Alzheimer’s disease – a systematic review

Figures & data

Figure 1 Selection procedure.

Table 1 An overview of the findings from the detected studies

Study	Objective	Number of subjects	Type of assistive technology	Dose of intervention	Outcome measures	Findings
Adrait et al^Citation25 RCT	To explore the influence of HAs on patients affected by ARHL and AD, as well as their caregivers’ QoL	22 in experimental group (mean age: 83±6.2 years) and 26 in placebo group (mean age: 82.3±7.2 years)	HAs	12 months	Cognitive tests, neuropsychiatric inventory, IADL, QoL, statistical analysis	There was no improvement in behavioral symptoms, functional status, or QoL of hearing impaired AD patients and their caregivers after 6 months of HA use from the original baseline
Caffò et al^Citation26 Experimental study	To compare two different types of orientation strategies: an AT program and a backward chaining procedure for promoting indoor traveling	4 subjects with AD (2 men and 2 women), 81, 89, 67, and 83 years of age	Basic wireless doorbell system (JKB310P by JEIKO; DK DIGITAL ITALIA srl, Cantù, Italy)	4 months	MMSE, recordings, social validation assessment, questionnaires, statistical analysis	The AT programs might be beneficial for restoring and maintaining independence in indoor traveling in patients with moderate to severe AD. The findings show that AT orientation strategy was significantly higher (P<0.01) than those with a backward chaining procedure
Cavallo et al^Citation27 Experimental study/case study	To demonstrate the technical effectiveness and acceptability of an innovative domiciliary smart sensor system for providing domiciliary assistance to patients with AD	14 patients with AD (10 women aged 84+5.31 years and 4 men aged 83.5+5.8 years), and 15 sociomedical operators	Bed and easy chair monitoring system, door monitoring system, personal localization system (GPS), personal posture monitoring system, multimedia therapy	Not available	MMSE, validation protocol, questionnaires, ADL, statistical analysis	AAL technologies may be feasible and effective since acceptability, utility, usability, and efficacy of the technology were evaluated as positive. In fact, the values of acceptability and utility increased by 50% and 30%, respectively
Faucounau et al^Citation28 Experimental study/case study	To explore the needs and perceptions of wandering persons and their caregivers toward existing tracking devices, as well as their acceptability and usability	1 patient with AD (84 years old) and 1 caregiver (his) spouse	GPS receiver and a mobile phone sit side-by-side in the same box	1 month	MMSE, analysis of patients’ and caregivers’ opinions	The end-user should be included in the co-design of new technologies to meet their needs
Franco et al^Citation29 Experimental study	To test the acceptability of non-invasive monitoring	13 subjects (11 women and 2 men, 1 person suffering from moderate AD), mean age: 80 years	Monitoring system	6.4 months	MMSE, IADL analysis	The system appears to be a promising component of home telecare
Lancioni et al^Citation30 Experimental study	To assess technology-aided programs to promote leisure engagement and mild physical activity in persons with AD	9 patients with AD (mean age 84 years)	A microswitch, a computer with sound amplifier, basic software	5 minutes (92–132 sessions)	MMSE, recordings	AT might enable persons with mild and moderate AD independently engage in a popular leisure activity, ie, selection and listening to preferred music
Lanza et al^Citation31 Experimental study	To compare orientation of patients with an aerial map and an AT device	14 patients with mild-to-moderate AD (9 female patients and 5 male patients; age 71.9±7.4 years)	Mobile assistive device	Not available	MMSE, in-field data collection, questionnaires of ADL	Mobile assistive devices may enable patients with mild-to-moderate AD to maintain autonomous spatial orientation in unfamiliar environments. The results revealed that with the use of AT, patients found their way from start to goal zones autonomously for 20 of 42 routes, while with the aerial map they could not find the way
Lindqvist et al^Citation32 Experimental study	To depict how persons in the early stages of AD became users of AT	10 patients with AD (5 men and 5 women), mean age 66.6 years	Different, tailored according to the patients’ needs (eg, reminder, electronic calendar, locator, smart finder, or talking clock)	6 months	MMSE, interviews	AT might have a positive impact on the performance of patients when the potential user can identify difficulties and needs and is motivated to use it, given that appropriate human support is available
Wang et al^Citation33 Experimental study	To examine perspectives of AD patients and their caregivers on robots that provide stepwise prompting to complete activities at home	10 patients with AD, aged 55+ years; 10 caregivers, aged 19+ years	Robots assisting patients’ washing their hands in the bathroom and making a cup of tea in the kitchen	Not available	MMSE, observations, semi-structured interviews	The findings indicate that although the patients did not want the robot, they were open to them. In addition, the caregivers were less stressed
Woodberry et al^Citation34 Experimental study	To review the SenseCam images of personal events by memory impaired patients to improve the ability of patients with AD to remember recently experienced personal events	6 patients with AD (4 women and 2 men), mean age 72 years	Small wearable camera	3.5 months	SenseCam diary, feedback from patients, MMSE, statistical analysis	The findings show that viewing SenseCam images of personally experienced events may significantly improve autobiographical memory in patients with even moderate AD (P=0.32)

Note: Authors’ own processing.

Abbreviations: AAL, ambient assisted living; AD, Alzheimer’s disease; ADL, activities of daily living; ARHL, age-related hearing loss; AT, assistive technology; GPS, global positioning system; HA, hearing aid; IADL, instrumental activities of daily living; MMSE, Mini-Mental Scale Examination; QoL, quality of life.

AdraitAPerrotXNguyenMFDo hearing aids influence behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and quality of life in hearing impaired Alzheimer’s disease patients and their caregivers?J Alzheimers Dis201758110912128269769

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

CaffòAOHoogeveenFGroenendaalMComparing two different orientation strategies for promoting indoor traveling in people with Alzheimer’s diseaseRes Dev Disabil201435257258024380786

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

CavalloFAquilanoMArvatiMAn ambient assisted living approach in designing domiciliary services combined with innovative technologies for patients With Alzheimer’s diseaseAm J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen2015301697724951634

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

FaucounauVRiguetMOrvoenGElectronic tracking system and wandering in Alzheimer’s disease: a case studyAnn Phys Rehabil Med2009527–857958719744906

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

FrancoGCGallayFBerenguerMMourrainCCouturierPNon-invasive monitoring of the activities of daily living of elderly people at home – a pilot study of the usage of domestic appliancesJ Telemed Telecare200814523123518632996

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

LancioniGESinghNNO’ReillyMFPersons with Alzheimer’s disease engage in leisure and mild physical activity with the support of technology-aided programsRes Dev Disabil201537556325460220

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

LanzaCKnörzerOWeberMRiepeMWAutonomous spatial orientation in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease by using mobile assistive devices: a pilot studyJ Alzheimers Dis201442387988424958461

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

LindqvistENygårdLBorellLSignificant junctures on the way towards becoming a user of assistive technology in Alzheimer’s diseaseScand J Occup Ther201320538639623394183

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

WangRHSudhamaABegumMHuqRMihailidisARobots to assist daily activities: views of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregiversInt Psychogeriatr2017291677927660047

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

WoodberryEBrowneGHodgesSWatsonPKapurNWoodberryKThe use of a wearable camera improves autobiographical memory in patients with Alzheimer’s diseaseMemory201523334034924528204

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar