CARERS of people with dementia often struggle with their own well-being, but a new app developed by a former Edinburgh University student aims to improve their health and reduce stress levels.
Called CogniCare, it is already receiving positive feedback from 3500 users and founder Pooja Jain is now working with the Highlands and Islands University to develop it further.
Next week she will tell pupils from 40 schools around the country about its development when they attend Careers Hive, a free careers education event from Edinburgh Science Learning designed to show schoolchildren the variety of jobs available in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.
Jain’s interest in dementia began when she was studying for her masters in neuroscience at Edinburgh University and was researching the proteins involved in memory loss.
However, it was only when she heard a man tell a conference about his struggles caring for his wife who has Alzheimer’s disease that she decided she wanted to do more to help carers like him.
“Often they are the hidden patients as the focus during GP appointments and care at home support tends to be on the person with dementia,” said Jain, whose grandfather has now been diagnosed with the disease.
After leaving university she worked as a carer for six months to gain a better understanding of the impact the disease can have, and decided a technological tool was needed as this would reach more people in the most cost-effective way.
Evidence suggests that cognitive decline in people with dementia is slower if they can be supported to live in their own homes as independently as possible.
However, at home, most dementia care is provided by families and unpaid carers who often lack adequate support and understanding of the condition.
In order to combat this, and with support from charities like Alzheimer Scotland, Jain along with fellow Edinburgh graduates Giulia Melchiorre and Pranav Shakti, developed the digital companion for people with dementia.
Designed to support families every step of the way, it unites all aspects of dementia care in one place, making it easier for them to access support. Carers can share their care needs with the app and it will suggest tailored solutions.
By using the app, they can not only access information about dementia and advice on self-care, but also connect with their community to receive support from local groups and services.
“We believe that through our platform, we can keep carers in their jobs for longer, prevent avoidable incidents, reduce hospital visits, and help them stay a part of their community,” said Jain.
The team have started to make CogniCare available through Amazon Alexa, a voice-based interactive technology.
“You can enable CogniCare as a ‘skill’ in Alexa and ask about the different types of symptoms, what causes them and advice on how to treat them,” said Jain.
“But this is just the beginning. Our vision is to create an active conversation between the carer and Alexa, making the use of CogniCare a truly interactive experience.
“The aim is to really understand each family and each carer using the app.
“The more we understand, the more we can suggest solutions relevant to them.”
The development has already been garnering awards, but Jain said the feedback from users was equally important.
“One of things that has been powerful for us has been that people who have used it say it has made such a big difference to their lives,” she said.
Ultimately, the team hopes to adapt the model so it can be used for other neurological conditions where there is no cure but care is key.
CogniCare is free to download on the App Store, Google Play and Alexa. Careers Hive runs from February 24–29 at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh with a public open day on Saturday 29 February.
It is organised by Edinburgh Science Learning along with Generation Science which begins its spring tour of Scottish schools this week.
Edinburgh-based investment management firm Baillie Gifford has just been announced as the headline sponsor of Edinburgh Science Learning, the education arm of educational charity Edinburgh Science.
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