Online Self-Assessment for Family Caregivers: The digiDEM Bavaria Caregiver Traffic Light

Three-quarters of people in Germany requiring care are looked after at home by relatives, by “Germany's largest nursing service.” These relatives are often exposed to high levels of stress and think too little or too late about their own health. To make them aware of their own situation, digiDEM Bayern has developed a new, free online service: ...

Valid and reliable: the scientific basis of the digiDEM Bayern caregiver traffic light

There are already a number of digital offerings related to dementia, including self-tests. However, a scientific basis is lacking for most of them. In contrast, the digiDEM Bayern Angehörigenampel is based on a standardized questionnaire whose effectiveness has been proven in two extensive studies. The basis of the Angehörigenampel is the short form of the...

Suddenly everything is closed: Consequences of the lockdown for people with dementia and their relatives

Safety, exchange, and support – these points are extremely important, especially for people with dementia. Regular support services and care services are a firm pillar here. However, they were severely restricted or even closed due to the Corona lockdown – from one day to the next. British researchers have now examined the effects on those affected and…

Mass over class? Quality criteria for digital dementia self-tests

The market for digital health applications is booming. Numerous dementia self-tests are also available with just a click. But how reliable and reputable are such tests? And how can one tell? A research team wanted to shed light on the app “jungle” and searched for information on the effectiveness of dementia self-tests. With limited success. According to the...

Healthy teeth, healthy mind?

What do oral health and mental abilities have to do with each other? According to studies, there is a connection. For instance, people with memory problems might have worse teeth in the long run because it simply becomes more difficult for them to remember to brush their teeth regularly. A study from Great Britain has now shown that mental...

How are cognitive abilities, hearing loss, and frailty related?

Im Alter treten häufig mehrere Erkrankungen gleichzeitig auf. Es kann zu einer Verschlechterung der geistigen Fähigkeiten kommen, ebenso zu Schwerhörigkeit und Gebrechlichkeit. Eine Studie aus Japan hat nun den Zusammenhang zwischen diesen drei altersbedingten Beeinträchtigungen unter die Lupe genommen. Frühere Studien hätten bereits einen Zusammenhang zwischen Hörschädigungen und Demenz gefunden, …

Bavarian utility companies: too few digital offerings for dementia

Um Menschen mit  Demenz und pflegende Angehörige zu unterstützen, werden digitale Angebote künftig immer wichtiger. Flexibel, unabhängig von Zeit und Ort, sicher in Zeiten von Corona – das sind die größten Vorteile. Doch bayerische Akteure im Demenz-Bereich schätzen die vorhandenen digitalen Angebote als eher unzureichend ein. Das zeigt eine Studie …

Tech Enthusiast or Skeptic: What are the attitudes of people with dementia and their caregivers towards smartphones and similar devices?

Digital offerings can make life easier – and yet they are used significantly less by older people than by younger people. The current Age Report of the German Federal Government has also shown this recently. How do people with dementia and their caregivers feel about digital technologies? Who uses smartphones, tablets, and the like, and who doesn't…

Advantages of telemedicine in dementia

Per Mausklick in die Sprechstunde: Nicht erst seit Corona ist diese Möglichkeit noch stärker in den Fokus gerückt. Schon Ende vergangenen Jahres wurde die Telemedizin durch das neue Digitale Versorgung-Gesetz gestärkt. Zwei US-amerikanische Studien haben sich mit Telemedizin bei Demenzerkrankungen befasst. Anlass der Studie von Jamie L.Adams und Kolleg*innen der …

Video telehealth is more effective than phone consultations

Die simpelste Form der Telemedizin sind Telefonate, etwa Beratungen durch Ärzt*innen. Was bringen ergänzende Video-Beratungen? Die Frage steht im Mittelpunkt einer aktuellen Studie aus Hongkong. Die Autor*innen wollten herausfinden, wie sich die beiden telemedizinischen Formen speziell in der Phase des social distancing auswirken. Dafür befragten sie diejenigen, die die soziale …