DISTINCT

The main aim of DISTINCT is to develop a premier quality multi-disciplinary, multi-professional and intersectorial education and training research framework for Europe, aiming at improving the lives of people with dementia and their carers through technology.
The unique academic and non-academic collaborative partnership of DISTINCT comprises of 13 world leading research organisations across 8 European countries, 9 partners who include Alzheimer Europe, Alzheimer Disease International, the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and 3 SMEs for technology and dementia care. Many members of the DISTINCT team are the established researchers in the INTERDEM, an interdisciplinary European collaborative research network of 180 leading academics working to improve early detection and timely and quality psychosocial interventions in dementia.
IDES will have 2 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs), ESR7 and ESR13. Each of ESR will belong to one of the DISTINCT research organisations where their primary supervisors are based. They may also have an additional supervisor from either another DISTINCT organisation or an external organisation if deemed relevant to their research.

ESR7
Project Title and Work Package(s) to which it is related: Psychosocial Applications of Technology for Health and wellness coaching of older adults with dementia and mild cognitive impairment and their carers in rural areas
WP4: Technology to manage one’s own life
Objectives: to develop a proof of concept of a technological platform integrating several innovative digital tools for health and wellness coaching of older adults with dementia and cognitive impairment and their carers, and to study the effects of utilisation of the platform on physical health, mental and emotional wellbeing, activities of daily living, social and cognitive functioning and professional care use. To involve older adults with dementia and their carers in the design and development of the platform, assessing their satisfaction, the impact of the system in realistic settings, acceptability and usability, to enables them to manage the system autonomously in daily life.
Expected Results: An evidence base for the efficacy of a combination of psychosocial interventions, both as a systematic intervention combination for therapies with high level evidence base but low compliance in real life and cost-effectiveness data, and as a pragmatic controlled trial comparing strategies that require efficacy evidence: 1.Usefulness and effectiveness of personalized recommendations and follow-up to promote physical, cognitive, mental and social well-being. 2. Validation of non-obtrusive technology for physical, cognitive, social and mental well-being.3.Evidence of user-centred design and innovation, new intuitive ways of human-computer interaction, and user acceptance. 4. Potential cost-effectiveness due to enhanced self-care, life-style and care management.
Planned secondment(s): Two for 3 months each. The first in year one with VUMC months to ascertain the feasibility of applying this platform to dementia Meeting Centers and the second in year 3 with MindTech (UoN) to assess the feasibility of the platform and its applicability in the UK.
Contact: Prof Manuel Franco Martín (mfm@intras.es)

ESR13
Project Title: Use of a Mini Robot as a new approach for cognitive and social stimulation in home care.
WP5 Technology enabling participation in social activities
Objectives: to develop and adapt a new Mini robot for people over 65 and people with dementia The robot is small (easy for move to different places). To analyse the interactions between the robot and elderly persons (with dementia) and to apply a usability study in a living lab for older people. To promote and support the interactions between old people and environment (social participation). To perform a small pilot project about the usability of the robot and efficacy in terms of mood and cognitive skills. Improvement of the main features of the robot.
Expected Results: An evidence base for the efficacy and usability of the Mini Robot in a home environment for improving mood and social skills of older people or people with mild cognitive decline due to mild dementia. Mini Robot can be useful to counteract loneliness and mood symptoms for older people, mainly for people living at home. Improve the usability of social robots for older people. Develop new research projects using robot technology in older people.
Planned secondment(s): Two for 3 months each. The first in year one with CVUT to help integrate the technologies developed in Prague with the robot developed in the IBSAL and sharing methodologies for researching in new technologies and robots. The second in year 3 at Saxion to test the robot in an environment with a different care context and a conduct a usability study of the robot in the Netherlands.
Contact: Prof Manuel Franco Martín (mfm@intras.es)