[f4–05–03]: the Collaborative Aging Research Using Technology (cart) Initiative: Building Scalable, Ecologically Valid Information Communication Technology Research Capacity
Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: During the past decade, a profusion of technologies and protocols have been developed to address the need to more effectively assess and deliver care to persons with cognitive impairment. These technologies take advantage of important developments in sensing and pervasive computing, wearable technologies, mobile and wireless communications, health information technology and “big data” analytics. Despite this abundance of opportunities, the true value of these approaches has yet to be fully developed, implemented or evaluated. The NIH Collaborative Aging (in Place) Research Using Technology (CART) initiative was established to address this needed research capability, building a research infrastructure which will ultimately scale-up to 10,000 technology-enabled homes. CART builds upon a home-based sensing and computing platform deployed in older persons homes continuously providing data regarding key outcomes: physical activity and mobility, sleep, computer use, life activities, driving and medication adherence. Each participant undergoes a conventional clinical and cognitive battery at baseline and reports weekly on-line changes in health and medications. Three-hundred-sixty participants will enroll across the US representing four diverse populations at high risk for loss of independence and cognitive decline: seniors residing in low-income housing (Portland, USA); veterans (rural Pacific Northwest); African Americans and Latinos (Chicago and Miami). Over three years the technology system will be iteratively tuned leading to a final version deployed in a year-long demonstration trial testing the hypothesis as to whether the system provides evidence for sustained independence and can be widely deployed in research. Enrollment commenced in January, 2017 and is ongoing. The technologies have been well accepted by study participants. The full platform is readily deployed within an hour at home. Version 1.0 of the platform reliably provides over 4 MB of continuous multi-domain functional and health data per home. Promising metrics for sensitive detection of dementia-relevant outcomes are sleep times, computer use, medication taking and driving behaviors. Easily deployed unobtrusive technologies for objective assessment of cognition and everyday function in the community can be readily achieved in diverse populations. This approach promises to greatly expand the opportunities for more objective, ecologically valid assessments and interventions in dementia research.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
Authors: Jeffrey Kaye, Stephen Agritelley, Lisa L. Barnes, Patrick Chiang, Kathleen Crowe, Sara Czaja, Hiroko Dodge, Deniz Erten‐Lyons, Jason Karlawish, Judith Kornfeld, Nicole Sharma, Nina Silverberg
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2767202888