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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/T09262/01
Title: Developing an Interactive Multimedia Activity System for Elderly People with Dementia
Principal Investigator: Alm, Dr N
Other Investigators:
Gowans, Mr G
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Alzheimer Scotland Dundee City Council
Department: School of Computing
Organisation: University of Dundee
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 2004 Ends: 31 December 2007 Value (£): 322,226
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Cognitive Science Appl. in ICT Human-Computer Interactions
Med.Instrument.Device& Equip. Multimedia
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare Creative Industries
Related Grants:
GR/T09279/01
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Dementia progressively undermines an individual's cognitive, social and functional activities of daily living. The pervasive short-term memory problem makes challenges of even the simplest tasks as people continuously forget what they are doing, what has just been said and that they have started tasks, such as boiling the kettle. Consequently, dementia is very disempowering as relatives and professional carers step in and gradually take overall aspects of a person's life. This is also challenging for those providing care as keeping people with dementia safe and occupied is a stressful and demanding task. Finding a way for people with dementia to engage in stimulating and enjoyable activity on their own would be beneficial both to them and also to their caregivers. Our proposal is to develop a computer generated interactive experience that will engage people with dementia and that they can use on their own. The research challenge here is to discover ways to engage and involve a person with short-term memory impairment over a significant time span, by providing appropriate prompting and supportive interaction. The starting point for this will be our current work on building a multimedia interactive reminiscence experience for use by people with dementia and their caregivers. We are in touch with a cohort of people with dementia and their relatives and carers who will assist us in developing and testing the proposed system. The result, which we hope will be a significant benefit to people with dementia and their carers, should also further our understanding of the cognitive processes and interactive possibilities for a person with short-term memory impairment.
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.dundee.ac.uk