Developing a system for measuring stress in the care for nursing home residents with dementia

Abstract

Background:

Measuring and monitoring stress has potential benefits for the care and self-management of stressors for people with dementia. Early identification of stressors may help to cope with challenging behaviours (CB), occurring in up to 80% of nursing home residents with dementia. The identification of stressors causing CB is difficult (as often residents cannot themselves indicate what is experienced as stressful or relaxing), hampering the psychosocial approach. Several studies have found that skin conductance and heart activity can be used as a proxy for stress. Measuring these physiological parameters using wearable sensors, might be helpful to identify (de)stressors and consequently, a psychosocial treatment approach. Therefore, wearables are promising as a supportive technology in the care of people with dementia and CB. However, stakeholders (i.e., (in)formal caregivers of people with dementia) indicate that current available (wearable) systems to measure stress are not fit for purpose within the everyday care of people with dementia. In addition, due to legislation, not all systems are allowed. The purpose of the current research is to develop a system prototype together with different stakeholders.

Method:

A prototype of a system measuring stress suitable in the care for people with dementia will be developed during different iterations between September 2022-July 2024. A community of stakeholders will be built, in which the needs, requirements and evaluations of people with dementia, (in)formal caregivers, legal- and IT-experts, will be collected through literature studies, focus groups, interviews and co-design sessions. The system will be developed and adjusted appropriately, taking social, technical and legal requirements into account.

Results and discussion:

Preliminary results will be presented regarding identified requirements for initial system prototypes as well as lessons learned from first iterations with conceptual and working prototypes. Implications for the care and self-management of people with dementia will be discussed.