“Alexa, what's the weather like today?” or “Siri, please play Beethoven's 5th Symphony!”: Digital voice assistants, so-called chatbots, are now widespread. How can they support people with dementia and their caregivers? A current study addresses this question. On the one hand, the number of internet-based services...
People with advanced dementia have a predominantly good quality of life. This is true regardless of whether the disease started early or late in life, or whether they are cared for at home or in a nursing home. This is the conclusion reached by scientists at the Technical University of Munich. Prof. Janine Diehl-Schmid, …
Physical activity can help you stay mentally fit as well. At least, that's what some studies suggest – others doubt this conclusion. French scientists have found that certain types of exercise have a more positive effect than others. For example, household chores. Does physical activity like aerobics, for instance, protect against cognitive decline? This is ...
According to studies, there is a link between internet use and reduced cognitive decline in older adults. Israeli researchers wanted to find out what might be behind this. The core question was: Do people who engage more with digital media know more about Alzheimer's and, as a result, behave in a more protective way? Background…
The last few months, with the COVID-19 contact restrictions, have shown in some dramatic ways how social isolation and loneliness can affect people. For some time now, there have been indications that socially isolated or lonely people have a higher risk of developing dementia. A research team from Florida and France has investigated this…
A person's lifestyle influences their risk of developing dementia later in life – research agrees on this. Relevant factors include nutrition, exercise, and social contacts. However, since social contacts are difficult to measure, British researchers specifically investigated the dementia risk of people living alone. Little social contact is...
Video calls, online fitness classes, digital game nights: Especially during the Corona pandemic, many people used internet applications to stay in touch with each other despite contact restrictions. What about older people? Do digital technologies help them participate in community life? This was the question addressed in a study by Pascale Heins from the...
Difficulties in communication, doubts in distinguishing between pain and anxiety, and uncertainties in administering morphine: these challenges make it difficult for nurses to assess whether people with dementia in the final stage of life are suffering from pain, according to nursing staff. The experiences of nursing staff in residential facilities caring for people with advanced...
Getting dressed, eating, bathing – these everyday activities become increasingly difficult for people with dementia over the course of their illness. Do these activities change if those affected also suffer from pain? Dutch researchers wanted to find out. The ability of people with dementia to perform activities of daily living (ADL functions for short) can be affected by many factors…
How pain is recognized and treated in people with dementia also depends on where and by whom they are cared for. Can targeted measures for caregivers and doctors improve the management of their symptoms? This question is the focus of a review by Australian researchers. For staff in...
