Creating Physical Objects with 3D Printers to Stimulate Reminiscing for Memory Loss

Moai Technologies, Llc, Maple Grove MN

Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Fourteen percent of those 70 and older in U.S. suffer from dementia and over 5 million older Americans are living with Alzheimer's. By 2050, over 16 million will have this disease and will experience impairments in cognitive and intellectual ability, memory, language, reasoning, and judgment that interfere with everyday functioning. Caregivers committed to person-centered dementia care seek non-pharmacological therapies that recognize the meaning of life, authenticity, history and personal preferences of each individual person. Reminiscence therapy (RT) is a form of person-centered dementia care that holds considerable promise. RT involves the discussion of past activities, events and experiences, with another person or small group. This is often assisted by ?aids? such as videos, pictures, and life storybooks. Research into the impact of RT has found many benefits including improvements in mood, quality of life, social interaction, cognition, and memory. Benefits for staff include increased knowledge of those in their care and a reduction in caregiver stress. Caregiving staff can use physical objects as triggers or tangible prompts in RT. Objects that have become autobiographical or evocative can be any size. Fortunately, 3D printing technology has advanced to the point where it can be used to produce realistic replicas of autobiographical objects at a relatively low cost. This Phase 2 project has two aims. One, to design and implement an operational model for identifying, producing, and deploying 3D objects for RT while managing object fidelity and cost. A successful model such as this will be essential for commercialization, ensuring quality and cost control. Second, we will conduct a randomized control field evaluation of RT using 3D-printed objects. We have two hypotheses. 1) Over a regular program of RT consisting of 16 sessions, the personal object replicas produced by 3D printing will be more effective in stimulating autobiographical memory than other stimuli to reminiscence, and will result in improvements in memory, mood, social interaction, and quality of life. 2) A dosage of 16 sessions of RT using 3D objects will be more effective than a dosage of 8 sessions using 3D objects plus 8 sessions of RT using other stimuli.