Aging in place is a goal for many people in their golden years, even those who have dementia. People find it comforting to be able to stay at home in familiar surroundings. Along with the desire to stay home, however, is the need to have appropriate help in order to stay safe and functional; this is especially true for people who have dementia. However, technology has come a long way in helping those who wish to stay at home, even those with dementia. One such technology is MindMate99, an app designed specifically for people with dementia and their caregivers.
How does it Work?
MindMate88 can help in the following ways:
- Educate caregivers about dementia so that they are more empowered to help those in their care
- Help those who have dementia to practice self-management skills
- Provide reminders to those with dementia, so they can live on their own without issues
- Provide advice regarding proper nutrition
- Track memories so that they are always there, even when the patient’s mind cannot remember them
- Provides games to stimulate the brain
MindMate22 Helps with Safety
Safety is the number one concern for people living with dementia who want to age in place. The risk of falls, not eating correctly, and even wandering away from home and getting lost are very high. Even simple things, like daily hygiene habits, often get forgotten, which can put a patient at risk for serious issues, including illness. With MindMate, patients can receive reminders that help them stay on task. With the ability to keep notes, create to-do lists, and set reminders, patients are better able to practice self-care safely. MindMate also has a simple-to-use tool that allows loved ones to check in as often as necessary with chat or video capabilities. MindMate has a caregiver app as well.
If a person plans to live at home yet needs help with weekly or even daily activities, MindMate can help keep track of these details. In addition, if a person needs to leave home at any point, especially in a medical emergency, the app can provide the pertinent information to the medical community, enabling the person to get proper care right away. The “My Life” section of MindMate helps the dementia sufferer, caregivers, and medical personnel understands who the person is and his or her history so that memories can be preserved and care personalized.
MindMate Stimulates the Brain
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, staying mentally active can help delay the onset of dementia or at the very least, slow it down. Educated people tend to start showing signs of dementia much later in life than those who do not receive a full education. That being said, MindMate helps to stimulate the brain, giving the brain the protection it needs to slow down the progression of the disease. Mental stimulation builds brain cells along with the necessary connections to help keep a person’s mental acuity stable. The games on MindMate help to do just that – the games were designed according to research in order to help build the cognitive abilities of patients with dementia, furthering their ability to age in place.
An All Around Helpful Tool
In a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, which followed 303 people over the age of 70 with dementia who wanted to age in place, the following issues were found:
- 90 percent of the study participants had issues with daily living
- 65 percent needed some type of medical care
- 52 percent were not mentally stimulated
- 48 percent needed assistance with finances
MindMate addresses these kinds of issues. With the app at his or her side, an elderly person with dementia can have reminders on daily living requirements; if he or she is unable to meet these requirements alone, the app helps a caregiver understand what the patient needs. It can alert caregivers to any special medical care needs. The app helps to stimulate the patient’s brain with games.MindMate was created by family members who had dealt with dementia with their own relatives, as well as the Glasgow University Geriatric Medicine Department, along with the contributions of nutritionists, sports scientists, physiotherapists, and psychologists.
The app is available in the iTunes store for download on any Apple device. As of today, the app is free and can be extremely helpful for people who wish to age safely in place and/or their family members and caregivers. It affords special peace of mind involving those who wish to age in place with dementia.
Sources
Alzheimer’s Association. If You Live Alone. Available at http://www.alz.org/i-have-alz/if-you-live-alone.asp22. Retrieved on July 4, 2016.
Alzheimer’s Association. Stay Mentally Active. Available at http://www.alz.org/we_can_help_stay_mentally_active.asp. Retrieved on July 4, 2016.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (July 18, 2012). John Hopkins Program Enables those with Dementia to ‘Age in Place.’ Available athttp://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/johns_hopkins_program_enables_those_with_dementia_to_age_in_place11. Retrieved on July 4, 2016.