Background
Dementia, a degenerative disease, requires alternative treatment to maintain function, but previous studies suggest only the therapeutic effect of a temporary program.


Primary Study Objective
The current study aimed to examine the effects of assistive technologies on cognitive function, daily living ability, and psychosocial symptoms in elderlies with mild cognitive impairment, elderlies with mild dementia and their caregivers.


Design
The research team designed an experimental study that used application as the intervention.


Setting
To recruit participants living in the local community, research participation was supported through local public health centers, welfare centers, and social welfare organizations. Evaluation and intervention were conducted by visiting the participant's home.


Participant
The study participants were 29 Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and 16 mild Alzheimer type dementia (AD) patients over the age of 75 with a total of 45 patients, 10 MCI caregivers and 11 AD caregivers with a total of 21 caregivers.


Intervention
The assistive technologies used for intervention are 3 area (8 daily living assistive devices, 7 safety assistive technologies, and 7 cognitive assistive technologies). Up to 5 assistive technologies were provided to one subject, and they were instructed to use them every day for 8 weeks.


Outcome measure
Participants were evaluated at baseline and postintervention using specific scales appropriate to an area: cognitive function, activities of daily living, depression, anxiety, quality of life, satisfaction.


Results
Cognitive function showed statistically significant changes in the MCI group. Basic activities of daily living, depression, anxiety, quality of life, satisfaction showed statistically significant positive effects in both MCI and AD groups. Instrumental activities of daily living did not show any statistically significant differences.


Conclusion
As an alternative to dementia care in the future, the application and management of assistive technologies for each area should be provided at the government level.