Testing Wearable Devices to Improve Sleep and Behavioral Symptoms in Alzheimers Patients and Support Their Caregivers in Rural Taiwan

What this Trial Is About

Taiwan is facing an aging population with increasing numbers of older adults living with Alzheimers disease. Many people with Alzheimers experience behavioral and psychological symptoms like agitation, sleep problems, or mood changes, which can lower their quality of life and increase stress for family caregivers. This research aims to evaluate how wearable devices might help monitor and manage these symptoms and caregiver burden in a rural Taiwanese setting. The study tests two wearable devices Geneactiv, a wristwatch that tracks daily activity and sleep for eight weeks, and Re-Timer, a light therapy eyewear emitting green light used for four weeks. Ten pairs of people with Alzheimers and their caregivers will participate over a twelve-week period. Researchers will assess the ease of device use, participant willingness to wear them, and whether the light therapy may improve sleep and mood. Participants will undergo assessments including questionnaires on sleep quality, behavioral symptoms, and caregiver burden, alongside data collected from the devices. Sleep quality will be measured from baseline to week 12, with actigraphy data collected throughout eight weeks. Feasibility and acceptability of using these devices will be monitored over the whole 12-week trial. This pilot study aims to guide future research on digital tools for dementia care in Taiwan.

Feasibility of Wearables in Dementia Care in Rural Taiwan