Dementia: Harnessing the power of slow memory to prevent disease progression

Abstract

As life expectancy increases among industrialized countries, age-related illnesses such as Alzheimer’s have become more common. Alzheimer’s, a common type of dementia, encompasses progressive cognitive loss, impacting memory, reasoning, and social behavior. This article explores the integration of slow memory within the MEM+ application, designed to stimulate memory and cognitive functions in people with Alzheimer’s dementia. This article presents a methodological approach to incorporating slow memory exercises into MEM*, ensuring adaptability for people with dementia across different stages of the disease. The applied methodologies encompass iterative design processes, cognitive task evaluations, and feedback collection from health professionals and people with dementia. The application’s effectiveness was assessed through a combination of quantitative cognitive impact assessments and qualitative feedback, focusing on the impact on memory retention and cognitive performance. Findings suggest that a slow memory approach, when combined with digital cognitive tools, can play a crucial role in enhancing engagement among people with dementia.