Alexa is helping north-east dementia sufferers to enjoy independence

Technology is being efficiently embraced to assist individuals within the north-east affected by dementia.

Last January councillors on the Garioch space committee authorised £600 in money from the Charles Ogg Fund for getting Amazon Alexa sensible audio system.

The common gadget, often known as a digital assistant, can work together with somebody’s voice, play music, set alarms, play audiobooks and offering info like climate and information.

It is hoped that through the use of the units individuals recognized with dementia and dwelling in their very own houses can use the speaker to assist them and develop their very own routines.

Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) made the funding utility however the cash was not spent.

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As a results of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a concentrate on supporting individuals with dementia utilizing digital units and an unidentified native enterprise donated cash so extra of the Alexa audio system may very well be purchased.

It is hoped the unique £600 that was authorised at first of final 12 months can now be used to print useful resource packs so dementia sufferers can preserve some independence.

Councillors had been due to focus on the thought right now.

A report to be thought-about by the Garioch space committee additionally seems to be on the success of an early pilot venture utilizing the Amazon Alexa.

Families of individuals with dementia bought the know-how as a part of the pilot, which got here earlier than the broader roll-out of the Alexa units.

In one instance, of a girl with dementia who stored lacking appointments, it proved to be a hit.

The doc stated: “Various reminiscence methods had been put in place to facilitate her independence; nonetheless it was the introduction of the Amazon Echo that proved most useful. Her daughter was in a position to arrange a calendar by way of the echo, permitting the girl to ask for what she had on right now in addition to alarms to be set to remind her to attend the appointment.

“A paper calendar was not proving efficient as this girl would grow to be distracted after noting her appointments, after which typically forgot to attend, or was late for appointments.

“The Alexa allowed her to attend appointments in a well timed method. This was significantly vital to her because it allowed her to proceed babysitting her grandson. Following the introduction of the Alexa and reminiscence strategies this girl was discharged from psychological well being companies and not reported nervousness.”

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The doc stated the useful resource packs will likely be used alongside the sensible audio system to assist these with dementia by boosting their independence and retaining them linked with family members.

It stated: “There are advantages to individuals with protected traits, particularly individuals dwelling with dementia, from this venture by way of sustaining independence and rising digital abilities.

“Enabling individuals to hold contact with household and mates by way of the usage of the units can even scale back isolation and loneliness. There will likely be extra advantages to unpaid carers by way of sustaining the talents of these they assist.

“The useful resource packs particularly will act as an aide to sustaining the independence of individuals dwelling with dementia of their use of those units.

“One key improvement has been the institution of key written assets for individuals dwelling with dementia which will likely be utilized by Mental Health Occupational Therapists to aide them in supporting individuals dwelling with dementia to entry the know-how.

“These assets are to be stored by individuals dwelling with dementia to aide them in studying to use their units in between classes with their occupational therapist and past.

“It is supposed that these will likely be given as a bodily useful resource as opposed to on-line. This has confirmed to be most popular by these individuals dwelling with dementia who’ve already been supported by the venture.”