the mobile assessment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in amnestic mci and ad (moment) study

Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Mild Memory Disturbance; Mild Cognitive Impairment

Summary: the purpose of this research study is to learn whether it is possible and useful for caregivers to report behavioral or psychological symptoms of people with mild memory problems or alzheimer's disease through a smartphone mobile application. the investigators believe that monitoring these symptoms and having a tool, like a mobile application, can provide quicker accessibility to the patient's clinical care team, which could improve care for patients and caregivers. these types of symptoms found in patients with mild memory problems or alzheimer's disease are any type of psychiatric symptoms or abnormal behaviors one might develop as the result of these brain illnesses. examples of psychological and behavioral symptoms are depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, agitation, and hallucinations. these symptoms differ from regular psychiatric symptoms, because they are caused by mild memory problems or alzheimer's disease (ad). these symptoms can cause a lot of distress for patients and caregivers, and can lead to greater use of healthcare services.

as a part of this research study the patient and caregiver will undergo randomization, "like flipping a coin", to assign the patient and caregiver to one of two research study groups. the patient and the partnered caregiver will join the same group. the group will either receive: 1) three in-person assessments on symptoms and behaviors that the patient may experience and a mobile application that will send surveys to the caregiver in order to rate the presence, severity and stress caused by these symptoms and behaviors; or 2) three in-person assessments on symptoms and behaviors that the patient may experience and no mobile application. the outcomes of these surveys and assessments will then be shared with the patient's clinical team. if the caregiver is assigned to the group that receives the mobile application they will receive the surveys either weekly or monthly. after each month of completing the surveys, the frequency will change. depending on feedback from the first 10 participants, the investigators may modify the survey rate to happen more than weekly.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * the patient: * has alzheimer's disease (ad) or amnestic mild cognitive impairment (amci), is a healthy aging brain center, eskenazi health patient * community dwelling * has a legally authorized representative when they lack capacity to consent * the caregiver: * 18 or older * no visual impairment * community dwelling * reports seeing patient most days of the week exclusion criteria: * the patient: * history of mental illness (schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar) * participating in another study * the potential participant with a diagnosis of either amci or ad communicates observable dissent. * the caregiver: * history of mental illness (schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar) * participating in another study

Keywords: patient distress caregiver burden caregiver stress mobile phone application psychological symptoms behavioral symptoms behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia neuropsychiatric symptoms mhealth mobile health