As technology becomes more advanced, among the numerous benefits that this advances have, one of the most significant being the continued advancement of assistive technology. Assistive technology is defined by Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals With Disabilities Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-407) as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially or off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
As the power of technology grows, this gives us all the ability to reate new things to address the problems that have yet to be solved. There is a wide variety of individuals whom have issues with memory, for example those with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, individuals who have experienced Traumatic Brain Injuries, those with intellectual disabilities, as well as many other conditions and diagnoses. While there has been many types of technologies already created to help those combating the difficulties related to memory loss, as well as supporting their family members, many issues still arise.
One of the most significant worries for those with memory loss nd their caretakers is safety if the individual becomes lost or disoriented. The Proximity Quick Wandering Alert was designed for those with memory loss severe enough that they may exhibit wandering or getting lost that may put their safety at risk. For those living with Dementia and Alzheimer’s, memory loss is not the only symptom. These individuals can also experience confusion, along with many other symptoms, which can make their memory loss even more alarming.
This piece of assistive technology is a badge that can be clipped to the clothing of the individual with memory loss to alert an alarm if the badge gets o far away from the phone that it is connected to. For example, if the badge is clipped onto the lapel, collar, or waist of an individual with Alzheimer’s Disease and they leave the home that they are in, an alarm on the phone that the badge is connected to will sound. This device is connected via bluetooth to a caregiver’s device so that an alarm goes off if the badge goes beyond the pre-set distance, that is set by whomever has control of the app.
This devices gives the individual with memory loss some piece of mind in knowing that, if they wander that have a safety net. This device also gives caregivers the same piece of mind to know hat they can be alerted if their loved one wanders too far away from them. The Proximity Quick Wandering System is also very light, only weighing 12 oz, making it very discreet for any situation. This can be attached to any type of clothing such as everyday attire, workout clothes, or even night time clothing so that the benefits can be reaped at any hour.
The caregiver, or individual themselves, has the ability to set the distance that the alarm will go off to. Lastly, this gives the individual the freedom to have the freedom to walk around alone, knowing that, if they wander too far from their caregiver, someone will know. For example, Sam is at the grocery store with her daughter and she wants to go look at the flowers in the back of the store. Sam is 89 years old and has had some problems remembering where is going when she attempts to find location.
Sam begins to walk toward the flowers and her daughter sees her walking toward the flowers and adjusts the distance appropriately so that her mother can walk over to the section without the alarm going off. Sam’s daughter has the comfort to continue her shopping without having to fear that her mother will put herself in a dangerous situation. Furthermore, this device only costs about 50, and the app that connects to it is free to download, making this piece of equipment affordable to many. While it is slightly on the expensive side, $50 is not a huge cost for a device that does as much as this one.
Lastly, this device has a battery life that lasts up to six months without needing to purchase another battery for it, again, decreasing the cost of maintenance of this device as well. However, there are home aspects of memory loss that this device does not address. For example, if Sam’s mother were to wander too far away from her, and the alarm on her phone goes off, this still means that she needs to find her mother and ake sure that she is safe. If her mother is too far away from her, regardless of the alarm, she still needs to assure that she does not get so far away that she can her mother without harm.
So, even though this device gives caregivers the piece of mind to know where their loved ones are, it does not mean that they still do not need 24/7 supervision. Another problem with this device is that, while it does attach securely to clothing, it can be taken off fairly easily. This button attaches to the individual using a magnet and even though that may secure it to the person’s clothing, it could also just be taken off. It is suggested that, if the wearer taking off the button could be a problem that the family member should put it on the back of their loved one’s clothing so they cannot see it.
Lastly, an aspect of this device that could be seen as a pro or a con, it is only 1 inch wide. This makes it very discreet as well as hard to spot if dropped. The small size of the device gives the person wearing it comfort in knowing that people will not directly spot it, but also can be easily lost as well. If Sam sees her mother, fairly far away from her in the store, due to the device’s small size it may be hard to see from where he is if her mother has the device on at all. Overall, I find the topic of memory loss very interesting because of the broad nature of the topic.
Memory is a very complex topic due to all of the different neurological structures and processes that are necessary to complete the tasks related to memory. Geriatrics is also an interest of mine, and memory loss and memory complications is a very common area of improvement for older adults. There is a great deal of assistive technologies available for those with memory loss. However, the type of equipment that an individual, and their families, can eap the benefits of is determined by the severity and type of memory loss the individual experiences.
Again, this shows us as practitioners and consumers the complexity of memory complications. Lastly, the role of the caregiver is an integral part for assuring that the individual maintains the highest quality of life possible, therefore we need to assure that they are supported in this instrumental activity of daily living. While there are many individuals that have found success in the use of assistive technologies, in the article published by searching academic journals in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy.
This academic journal by Andrea Thinnes and Rene Padilla (2011) titled “Effect of Educational and Supportive Strategies on the Ability of Caregivers of People With Dementia to Maintain Participation in That Role” looks to address the effectiveness of various strategies to allow caregivers of those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia related illnesses to continue to act as caregivers. The search terms that I used were “assistive technology and memory loss” and then selected the tag labeled “dementia”, and finally this article was the second of the four articles that came up under these search criteria.
As stated in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process (2002) caring for others is defined as an instrumental activity of daily living in which an individual takes part in “Arranging, supervising, or providing the care for others. ” When meeting with a client, it is crucial that we assure that the caregiver is caring for the individual in a way that allows them to remain healthy in all of their contexts, and that is what this article seeks to do. Acting as a caregiver is a very emotionally, physically, and cognitively stressful task, which is why this article looks to support caregivers of those with memory loss.
The authors of this article re looking to provide caregivers with interventions, many of which include assistive technology, that job that they do easier and more manageable. There were a variety of methods used to assess the effectiveness of various ake the already taxing types of assistive technologies, the first was assessing the frequency of use, by caregivers, of the various assistive technologies provided. It was also recorded when caregivers needed to refer to professionals for questions regarding the proper use the equipment.
A cognitive-behavioral assessment was also used to see improvements in caregiver perceived self- efficacy and problem solving. This peer reviewed study looked at a the effectiveness of a variety of interventions and the findings regarding technology-mediated interventions also varired in their success with caregivers. Overall, the study stated that assistive technology and technology-mediated interventions allow caregivers and those that they care for to stay at home, which is often prefered by the individual.
Telephone network interventions with social components were found to be, generally, the most successful overall. This method of intervention was stated to result in caregiver improvements in psychological well-being, regardless of scheduling conflicts etween individuals. For those who live in rural areas, there is a disparity in health care due to the fact that they need to travel a farther distance to get the necessary interventions and therapy.
The most significant finding of this study, was the assistive technologies and other interventions that were mediated by technology were found to be a crucial for those whom live in rural areas. Technology-mediated interventions and assistive technology allow caregivers, and especially those who care for someone with memory loss, the ability to better manage the care of their loved ones. Supporting those with memory loss is crucial to assure that the individual remains safe in whatever context that they are in.
However, many with severe memory loss, the kind that would be supported by the Proximity Quick Wandering System, need caregivers to help support them in their daily occupations. This means that, for us as therapists, we need to assure that we are offering support, direction, and education for the client as well as for whomever cares for them. It can sometimes be ? overlooked is the intense duties that go along with being a caregiver, which can be especially difficult for those who care for those with memory loss.
This is due to the fact that these caregivers, as same as an occupational therapist, want these individuals to have the highest quality of life possible. The largest difference being that these caregivers care for their loved ones a for a great deal of time, sometimes with little to no time for relief, and this can be consuming and very stressful. As an occupational therapist I want to work toward supporting the client as well as those who help to support them in their everyday lives to assure that both parties are living lives with the highest quality of life possible.