Creating digital tools to support dementia care

Empowering carers and those with mild cognitive impairment or early stage dementia is a focus for early career researcher Dr Lua Perimal-Lewis, Research Fellow at Flinders University’s Digital Health Research Centre.

Currently, there are no frameworks or support mechanisms for carers of people with early stage dementia or mild cognitive impairment to comply with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) interventions.

Dr Perimal-Lewis is addressing this gap by developing an online platform to embed digital tools and online support options such as online calendars with reminders, brain training exercises and image-based contact list for phone calls.

Last year Dr Perimal-Lewis received donor-funded Impact Seed Funding for Early Career Researchers to scope her study with a group aged over 65 who are having difficulty remembering people, appointments or tasks.

‘The funding is enabling me to examine the feasibility, adoption rate and value of delivering brain training and physical activities using a tablet-based application to assist people living with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia,’ says Dr Perimal-Lewis.

Dr Lua Perimal-Lewis, Research Fellow at Flinders University’s Digital Health Research Centre