Evaluating ScentCare, a New Device and App for Smell Training in Adults 60 and Older with Smell Loss

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of a new olfactory training device called ScentCare and its companion web-based application on improving the sense of smell and overall well-being in older adults with olfactory dysfunction. This study compares the ScentCare device to solving Sudoku puzzles to understand how olfactory training may impact smell and cognitive function in elderly individuals. The focus is on measuring changes in smell ability and quality of life related to olfactory loss. Participants will be randomly assigned to use either the ScentCare device, which includes eight different scents and is guided by a smartphone app or booklet, or to complete Sudoku puzzles. Both groups will engage in their assigned activities twice daily for five minutes over a three-month period. The device training involves a rotating wheel with scent chambers, and the app provides instructions, reminders, and scent randomization. The control group will spend the same time solving Sudoku puzzles to provide a cognitive activity comparison. Throughout the study, participants will visit the clinic twice once at enrollment and once after three months. They will undergo formal smell testing using the Sniffin Sticks test at both visits, complete questionnaires assessing olfactory quality of life, cognition, anxiety, depression, device use, and compliance. Researchers will compare results from before and after the three-month intervention to evaluate changes in olfaction and well-being. Feedback on the devices usability will also be collected from participants using ScentCare.

Scents of Progress: Leveraging a Novel Device for Olfactory Training in Older Adults