Ronald Baecker, Ph.D.
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

2004 Everyday Technologies for Alzheimer Care Grant

Support groups and educational programs are well-established strategies to assist families with the challenges of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease at home. The Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care has adapted this model for the Internet and trained families to use the agency’s “Caring for Others” Web site, which includes “virtual support groups,” educational materials, and discussion forums.

Ronald Baecker, Ph.D., and colleagues will be expanding this online service to incorporate multimedia technologies. One part of the project will be the development of a number of 5- to 10-minute videos and slide presentations for the “Caring for Others” site. Topics will include care strategies regarding difficult behaviors, exercise, activities of daily living, and nutrition.

Additionally, the investigators will adapt multimedia tools and train six families to produce multimedia family histories that may reinforce memories for an individual with Alzheimer’s disease, reduce disruptive behaviors and contribute to the well-being of the family. The researchers will collaborate with the care recipient, the primary caregiver and other family members to incorporate music, photos, interviews and narrated videos into the history.

The researchers will conduct a trial comparing the responses to the agency’s standard online caregiver services and the services enhanced with the multimedia resources. The outcome of the study may demonstrate the adaptability and value of multimedia online technologies for families affected by Alzheimer’s disease.