Designing a multimedia conversation aid for reminiscence therapy in dementia care environments

As world populations grow older the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementia related illnesses increases (approximately 18 million sufferers worldwide). One particularly devastating effect of AD is the loss of short-term memory, which radically impairs the sufferer’s ability to communicate. People with dementia, however, often retain a facility for long-term memory that can function strongly given appropriate stimulation.

Project CIRCA (Computer Interactive Reminiscence and Conversation Aid), utilizes interactive multimedia (including audio, video, animation and QuickTime VR environments) to stimulate long-term memory to prompt verbal and non-verbal communication.

Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

Touch screen multimedia system has helped people with dementia be more interactive with carers

The Computer Interactive Reminiscence and Conversation Aid (Circa) packages clips of old films, music and photos which can be played via a touch screen.

Reminiscence therapy is important for dementia sufferers, but they are often led and controlled by the carer.

BBC News
June 15, 2005

Circles of Care : How to Set Up Quality Care for Our Elders in the Comfort of Their Own Homes

Circles of Care : How to Set Up Quality Care for Our Elders in the Comfort of Their Own Homes

Circles of Care is the work of Community Circles of Care co-founder Ann Cason. Ann is a nationally recognized expert on the provision of quality home care for frail elders and has been a caregiving coordinator and consultant for more than 20 years. Circles of Care is an “how-to” guide to caring for an infirm elder in the comfort of his or her own home. Ann uses care studies and a variety of examples that illustrate how best to provide quality care at every level: physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual. The book is rich with useful suggestions in meeting the challenges of home eldercare. Circles of Care will help you understand how old age feels, and learn how to accept what is and to improve life for you and the elder you love.

Among the helpful topics discussed are the detailed arrangements of daily care; setting up a care team; helping the elder accept his or her new life; enriching the elder’s environment; working with mood swings, confusion, and memory loss; easing the transition to a nursing home; and caring for and comforting the dying.

Ann Cason, wrote “Circles of Care: How to Set Up Quality Care for Our Elders”, after nearly 25 years of experience in caring for frail and confused older adults.

In the 1970s, Ann studied with Chogyam Trungpa at the Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. There she co-founded and directed Dana Home Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping elders continue their lives at home. Dana Home Care centers were also established in Chicago and Boston. Later, in private practice, while writing Circles of Care, Ann focused on creating healing environments for the dying and those suffering from confusional disorders.

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)

The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) supports, empowers, educates, and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for a chronically ill, aged, or disabled loved one. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of different diagnoses, different relationships and different life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers.

They are committed to improving the overall quality of life of caregiving families and minimizing the disparities between family caregivers and non-caregivers.

Simply put, family caregiving is the act of assisting someone you care about, who is chronically ill or disabled and unable to care for him/herself. Unfortunately as you know, there is nothing simple about family caregiving at all.