None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study is testing a smartphone app called Perx, designed to help people with cognitive decline and their caregivers manage daily health and wellbeing tasks. Participants will use the app to track tasks like taking medications, attending appointments, and completing optional wellbeing activities. Caregivers will also have access to supportive content developed with dementia specialists. The study aims to understand enrollment feasibility, how engaged participants are, and whether it helps with daily routines and adherence to health tasks. Insights from this pilot will help improve the app and inform future studies to better support people living with cognitive changes and their caregivers.
Interventions
Intervention: Perx smartphone-based digital health program
The Perx digital health app is a customisable reminder app that uses gamification strategies to motivate users to complete health tasks. These tasks are self-entered by the user and can include things like medications, exercise therapy, appointments, daily step tracking, and completely custom tasks. Programs within the Perx app vary by the chosen content that appears for a user on certain days, mainly educational. The app never sets or
Intervention: Perx smartphone-based digital health program The Perx digital health app is a customisable reminder app that uses gamification strategies to motivate users to complete health tasks. These tasks are self-entered by the user and can include things like medications, exercise therapy, appointments, daily step tracking, and completely custom tasks. Programs within the Perx app vary by the chosen content that appears for a user on certain days, mainly educational. The app never sets or recommends a specific health regimen like a medication but may encourage healthy behaviours. Materials provided: -The Perx mobile application, installed on participants’ own smartphones or tablets. -Optional in-app educational content and resources developed in collaboration with dementia specialists (particularly for caregivers). -Caregivers will see different content provided compared to participants with dementia or experiencing cognitive decline. The caregivers program has more resources dedicated to how to take care of a loved one with dementia and tips to take care of themselves throughout from trusted resources like Dementia Australia. -The program for participants with dementia is more focused on encouraging users to schedule tasks for things that may forget, and has small lifestyle tips for managing cognitive health. These topics include: brain-body connection, social and emotional wellness, cognitive and memory tools, positive framing and perspective. -Content appears as small, 1-2 sentence text pop ups that appear as optional, "fun fact" tasks. Additional resources appear as links in the "Resource Hub". -Content has been curated by Dr Katya Numbers, a researcher focused on dementia and caregiver education. All information is taken from credible sources including Dementia Australia, Forward with Dementa, Sleep Health Foundation, Australia Psychological Society, My Aged Care, Services Australia, National Disability Insurance Scheme, Healthdirect Australia, Carers Gateway, Dementia Support Australia, Dementia Training Australia, My Dementia Companion, and Young Carers Network. -Digital points system, interaction mini games, and occasional randomly awarded e-vouchers from major Australian retailers (e.g., Coles, Woolworths, Kmart; not redeemable for alcohol or tobacco). -App modules/functions that may be used in this study include: medication and health task scheduling and reminders; task completion tracking; push notifications; gamified rewards (points, streaks, mini-games); embedded survey delivery; educational resource hub; voucher rewards for task completion; and automated engagement analytics. Procedures/Activities: -Participants add and track their own daily health-related tasks (e.g., taking medications, attending appointments, monitoring routine activities). -Participants can optionally complete short surveys embedded in the app (different for caregivers and participants with dementia). -Participants may engage with app-provided educational content and brief games. -Points are accrued for task completion; some participants are randomly awarded e-vouchers to encourage engagement and adherence to health tasks. Delivery and provider expertise: -Intervention is self-administered via the app; no in-person delivery is required. -Participants use the app independently, with optional remote technical support from the Perx study team. -Educational content was developed in collaboration with dementia specialists experienced in caregiving and cognitive decline. Mode of delivery: -Delivered individually via internet-enabled smartphones or tablets. -Fully digital. Schedule/duration/dose: -Intervention is continuous over the 6-month study period. -Participants are encouraged to engage with the app daily to complete tasks and surveys. -There is no fixed number of sessions; engagement is self-paced and participant-led. Location: -Participants’ homes, via personal smartphones or tablets. Personalisation/adaptation: -Tasks are personalised by participants; caregivers may select or access content relevant to the person they support via a resource hub while also being recommended popular content in daily tasks. -The app delivers adaptive reminders and notifications based on participant behaviour to support engagement. Intervention adherence/fidelity: -Adherence will be assessed via in-app usage metrics (app log-ins, task completion rates, survey completion). -The Perx study team will monitor engagement and may provide technical support if participants experience difficulties. -No formal intervention delivery fidelity checks are required, as the program is self-administered.
Sponsors
Perx Health
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 No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Cohort 1: People with Cognitive Decline (PwCD) Inclusion: Self-reported clinical diagnosis of MCI or dementia, OR Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) in the last five years (no diagnosis required). Able to operate a smartphone and use the Perx app independently or with minimal support. Age 18 and older (with a focus on older adults age 65 and older). Cohort 2: Caregivers Inclusion: Self-reported caregiver of a PwCD (person with cognitive decline; no diagnosis required for the care recipient). Minimum 1 hour of physical support per week. Age 18 and older. Able to operate a smartphone and use the Perx app independently or with minimal support.
Exclusion criteria
Cohort 1: People with Cognitive Decline (PwCD) -Participants who are unable to use the Perx app independently or with minimal support. -Participants unable to provide informed consent or understand study instructions (e.g., due to severe cognitive impairment). Cohort 2: Caregivers Participants who are unable to use the Perx app independently or with minimal support. -Participants unable to provide informed consent or understand study instructions. -Participants with less than 1 hour of physical caregiving per week. Notes: -No other formal exclusions apply; the study is designed to be inclusive. Participants’ level of cognitive change and caregiving involvement will be recorded during onboarding and used to define subgroups for analysis at the end of the study. -Engagement and onboarding are self-directed, and participants who cannot use the app effectively will not be able to meaningfully participate.
Outcome results
None listed