Evaluating use of the CommunicAid: Can access to a communication tool assist people with mild to moderate dementia to communicate their basic wants and needs and make decisions more effectively?

Can an assistive communication device (i.e. the CommunicAid App) assist participants with mild to moderate dementia living in a residential aged care facility to communicate their basic wants and needs more effectively?

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ANZCTR

Registry ID

ACTRN12614001065684

Enrollment

Registered

2014-10-03

Start date

2014-09-08

Completion date

2014-09-26

Last updated

2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

The proposed proof of concept study aims to identify factors that influence successful use of the CommunicAid App within a residential aged care setting. Using a case series design the study aims to create five in-depth case profiles of CommunicAid App use, characterising individual client factors (e.g. communication profile, previous use of technology) and environmental factors (e.g. communication opportunities, available communication support, lighting and noise levels within the facility). Systematic analysis and interpretation of the individual case profiles will allow the critical factors to be identified that influence successful use of the App during everyday interactions. This will provide direction for the development of tailored training and communication support strategies to embed use of the App into routine care delivery.

Interventions

Participants will be provided with the CommunicAid Application on a tablet device. This is a communication aid that will assist the participant to make choices and convey their basic wants and needs (e.g. to select a drink or to request an item that they want). A family member will attend this initial session that is expected to last 90 minutes in duration. Participants will be introduced to the functions of the application and tablet device. The Tablet will be left with the participant to practice use with family and staff over a 5 week period. Individually tailored goals will be provided to each participant outlining when to use the device and how frequently (e.g. to use the device every morning tea time to request a drink). As such the frequency and duration will be clearly specified, but will vary across participants depending on their individual goals. A pre- and post- assessment will be completed to measure communication outcomes following the five week trial. A post- treatment interview will be completed with staff and family to measure adherence to the intervention and use of the CommunicAid over the 5 week trial.

Study design

Allocation

Non-randomised trial

Intervention model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Masking

Open (masking not used)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 110 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1) Reported cognitive-communication difficulties and/or a diagnosis of mild to moderate dementia (e.g. MMSE 20 or above), (2) some ability to communicate and understand communication, (3) deemed able to see, hear and participate in the CommunicAid trial, (4) deemed able to give informed consent by treating doctor, and (5) a willing caregiver (family or staff) to also participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

Deemed unable to give informed consent

Outcome results