Development of innovative mobile applications for dementia prevention in at - risk elders

Abstract

Social isolation has been associated with negative health outcomes. In response,
we developed and implemented a mobile application to promote social
engagement among older adults living in their communities. This research and
development (R&D) study aimed to 1) develop a dementia prevention mobile
application called SDU Brain Training for older adults at risk of dementia and
2) examine the application’s quality among a sample of 35 older adults who
were at risk of dementia and living in Bang Len, Song Phi Nong, Suphan Buri.
Data were collected through the Dementia Prevention Mobile Application
Effectiveness Evaluation Survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics.
The SDU Brain Training application comprised two modules: 1) a 40-item self
assessment test with immediate result interpretations and recommendations and
2) cognitive rehabilitation exercises consisting of brain exercise, meditation
exercise, food tips for brain health, 4-step brain development, brain-healthy
environment tips, and brain training games, e.g. Sudoku and photo hunt games.
The application was evaluated for content validity by three experts using the
index of item-objective congruence (IOC), resulting in IOC scores ranging
from 0.67 to 1. The experts’ feedback on format, content, and images was
incorporated into the application development for Android and iOS operating
systems. The application achieved a β value of .78 and was found compatible
with devices running iOS 12 or Android 8 or higher through ∝ testing.
Additionally, the application effectiveness evaluation yielded an overall mean
score at the highest level (M = 4.84, SD = .38). These results indicate that the
SDU Brain Training application is an effective tool for assisting older adults in
dementia prevention and cognitive rehabilitation.