PRODUCT FOR ALZHEIMER'S SELF-STIMULATORY WANDERERS

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A VARIETY OF SENSORY-STIMULATION PRODUCTS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONOF PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S-TYPE DEMENTIA. AT PRESENT, MANY CAREGIVERS RELY ON PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL RESTRAINTS AS THE PRIMARY METHOD OF PATIENT INTERVENTION DUE TO THE LACK OF APPROPRIATE DEMENTIA MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS. THIS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERS THE SUFFERER'S QUALITY OF CARE AND LIFE. AS THE AGE GROUP MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (65 AND OLDER) IS THE FASTEST GROWING SEGMENT OF OURSOCIETY, AN APPROPRIATE CARE SOLUTION MUST BE SOUGHT. THE SPECIFIC AIM OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP PRODUCTS THAT ARE SENSORY SATISFYING FOR THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PATIENT WHO EXHIBITS SELF-STIMULATORY WANDERING BEHAVIOR. SENSORY-SATISFYING OBJECTS FOR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT WILL BE DETERMINED THROUGH STRUCTURED OBSERVATIONS OF SELF-STIMULATORY WANDERERS IN AN INSTITUTIONALIZED SETTING. VARIATIONS OF PRODUCT DESIGN AND MOUNTING WILL BE PURSUED TO DEVELOP PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT ONLY SAFE AND EFFECTIVE FOR PATIENT USE BUT ARE EASY FOR THE CAREGIVER TO IMPLEMENT AND MAINTAIN.