Reminiscence therapy and media sharing platform

Abstract

Described are reminiscence therapy and media sharing platform, methods, and systems for a patient user which provide an immediate and First Mobile Application positive impact on emotional functioning inpatients with dementia, major neurocognitive disorders, social isolation, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and psychiatric conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder, by reducing anxiety, depression, and overall emotional distress.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 688,269, filed Jun. 21, 2018, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The U.S. population is rapidly aging, with 21% of the population, or 74 million people, expected to be older than 65 by 2030. Social isolation is estimated to impact up to 50% of seniors, and loneliness has been shown to affect approximately one-third of adults later in life. Social isolation and loneliness can have a significant impact on health and quality of life, with health risks comparable to traditional clinical risk factors, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Prolonged isolation has been estimated by AARP (formerly American Association of Retired Persons) to be equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and in another study it was shown to increase the likelihood of mortality by more than 25%.[0003]Social isolation in old...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]Although Reminiscence Therapy (RT) has been shown to be effective for treatment of AD, other dementias, and social isolation without medicinal side effects, current means of performing (RT) are highly labor-intensive. Individual RT is generally recommended for its effectiveness, but can be very time consuming for the caregiver and expensive to perform. These current constraints greatly limit the ability for most patients to receive consistent, daily RT therapy as recommended. A technology platform that digitizes RT has the potential to deliver RT to these individuals frequently, effectively, and at scale.

[0009]Seniors who are socially isolated can also benefit from RT. Many seniors are unable to utilize new technologies, such as mobile devices, tablets, and computers, and therefore are not able to access communication tools and social media platforms. Because families are spread across the country and have busy lives, it is often easy for seniors to get left out if they can't adapt to new technologies. This can lead to limited engagement with family and friends and result in loneliness and social isolation. Therefore, they can also benefit from technology platforms that are simple to use, and that deliver RT content as well as more recent content that updates them on current family events and engages them socially with their family and friends.

[0010]A technology platform that delivers photo, video, and audio content such as RT can further be used in other scenarios, such as for patients recovering from stroke or patients undergoing chemotherapy. The patients can be given messages and content from their family members, who can become more motivated because they feel that others are also involved in their care and in their journey to recovery. Customized content and educational material can also be provided on the tablet to the patient. The same technology platform can also help to educate or engage the patient's loved ones, or enable the physician to remotely monitor the patient's progress.

Problems solved by technology

Although Reminiscence Therapy (RT) has been shown to be effective for treatment of AD, other dementias, and social isolation without medicinal side effects, current means of performing (RT) are highly labor-intensive.

Individual RT is generally recommended for its effectiveness, but can be very time consuming for the caregiver and expensive to perform.

These current constraints greatly limit the ability for most patients to receive consistent, daily RT therapy as recommended.

Many seniors are unable to utilize new technologies, such as mobile devices, tablets, and computers, and therefore are not able to access communication tools and social media platforms.

Because families are spread across the country and have busy lives, it is often easy for seniors to get left out if they can't adapt to new technologies.

This can lead to limited engagement with family and friends and result in loneliness and social isolation.

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