EXTENDING INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR DEMENTIA THROUGH TELEHEALTH PROGRAM DELIVERY

Project Abstract More thanmillion Americans are living with Alzheimer s disease or dementiaplacing an enormous cost and service burden on the medical system and often imposing devastating quality of life challenges on patients and their caregiversCurrent medications are minimally effective in delaying the multiple functionalcognitiveand behavioral factors that lead specifically to decline in quality of life and costly lack of independence for these patientsTogether Senior HealthIncis dedicated to extending the period of independence and quality of life for adults with Alzheimer s disease or dementia by delivering evidence based content through a unique webbased platformWe are partnering with academic investigators who have developed a pioneering group movement and mindfulness program for people living with Alzheimer s and their caregivers called PairedPLIPreventing Loss of Independence through ExerciseHoweverthe in person Paired PLIprogram is currently only available to a small number of individuals near program servicesThis PhaseSmall Business Innovation ResearchSBIRgrant will enable us to develop and pilot test our platform to expand the reach of Paired PLIto a wide range of people living with Alzheimer s and their caregivers including those who are remotesocially isolatedor underservedWithin Phasewe will apply human centered design principles to create a web based platform that is usable and engaging for this target audiencepilot remote delivery of Paired PLIand refine the platform for broader accessThis will lay the groundwork for a subsequent PhaseSBIR application that will scale development and compare clinical outcomes and ROI for the web based and in person programsUltimatelythe Paired PLIprogramcommunity based and online versionswill extend function for adults suffering from Alzheimer s and dementiaimprove quality of life for these patients and their caregiversand reduce both out of pocket and societal costs associated with loss of independence Project Narrative Public Health Statement Alzheimer s and dementia affect more thanmillion Americansand current medications are minimally effective in delaying the multiple functionalcognitiveand behavioral factors that lead specifically to decline in quality of life and costly lack of independenceOur academic partners have developed a novelintegrative movement program called Paired PLIPreventing Loss of Independence through Exercisethat is designed to improve function and quality of life in people living with Alzheimer s and dementia and to reduce stress in caregiversTogether Senior HealthIncis expanding the reach of the evidence based Paired PLIprogram to those who are remotesocially isolatedor underserved through an innovative web based platform