The great increase in incidence of dementia, in parallel with the constantly growing average age of the population, are rendering dementia a central problem in modern societies. The consequences of the disease on the quality of life of the people with dementia and their environment are particularly severe, while its socio-economic extensions incur significant burden on the society, health-care systems and the economy. Research efforts in new fields are thus becoming necessary, with goals such as precision in diagnosis and improvement in the quality of life of people with dementia. The four year European research program project Dem@Care, aims to make a substantial contribution in this direction, by combining the experience and new research results of 11 partners.

Dem@Care concerns the development of an integrated solution for the remote monitoring, diagnosis and support of people with very mild or mild dementia. More specifically, Dem@Care aims to enhance diagnosis and to afford timely, personalized, intervention and adaptation of the care being provided. To accomplish these goals, Dem@Care will investigate the use of multiple sensors, for the recording, among others, of daily activities, lifestyle patterns, emotions, speech impediments, and vital signs, as well as the use of intelligent mechanisms for the assessment of the individual’s condition and of the appropriate care treatment. Through the combined use of multiple sensors and their intelligent processing, Dem@Care seeks also to minimise the subjectivity characterizing current clinical diagnosis protocols and to enable the formation of a comprehensive and objective picture of the individual’s overall condition.

Improving the effectiveness of the diagnosis and assisting to maintain their independence and inclusion in society, Dem@Care could offer people with dementia the possibility of remaining for as long as possible at their place of residence and not at a care provision center.

For more information please contact: project coordinator Dr. Ioannis Kompatsiaris, CERTH-ITI (ikom@iti.gr).