A Scoping Survey to Inform Design of Digital Dementia Risk Reduction Interventions for Adults Concerned about their Cognitive Health.

Background: Digital dementia risk reduction interventions are cost-effective and scalable. However, it is unknown how they are perceived by people already experiencing cognitive concerns or decline. Objective: To understand the current use, interest, and preferences for online learning courses and interest in learning about factors influencing brain health and dementia risk among adults ≥45. To explore potential differences between individuals experiencing cognitive concerns and those without. Methods: Adults aged 45 and older completed a survey on technology use and healthy ageing (n = 249, Mean age = 65.6, 76.3% female). The Memory Assessment Clinic-Questionnaire was used to assess subjective memory decline, and 153 participants met the study criteria for cognitive concerns (≥25). Results: Almost all participants (98.4%) reported using two or more digital devices, and 51.8% reported increasing device usage following COVID-19. Most (92.1%) were interested in learning about healthy living and memory within an online course, and over 80% indicated a high interest in learning about dementia risk factors. People with cognitive concerns were more likely to report using a 'routine or system' to aid memory than people without (82.4% versus 62.9%, p = 0.001). However, no significant difference was found in technology use, course preferences, or interest in learning about different risk factors. Conclusions: We conclude that adults 45 years and over are interested in online methods for learning about brain health and offer unique insights into adapting dementia prevention programs for cognitive concerns.

MyCOACH (COnnected Advice for Cognitive Health): a digitally delivered multidomain intervention for cognitive decline and risk of dementia in adults with mild cognitive impairment or subjective cognitive decline-study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Digital health interventions are cost-effective and easily accessible, but there is currently a lack of effective online options for dementia prevention especially for people at risk due to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or subjective cognitive decline (SCD). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: MyCOACH (COnnected Advice for Cognitive Health) is a tailored online dementia risk reduction programme for adults aged ≥65 living with MCI or SCD. The MyCOACH trial aims to evaluate the programme's effectiveness in reducing dementia risk compared with an active control over a 64-week period (N=326). Eligible participants are randomly allocated to one of two intervention arms for 12 weeks: (1) the MyCOACH intervention programme or (2) email bulletins with general healthy ageing information (active control). The MyCOACH intervention programme provides participants with information about memory impairments and dementia, memory strategies and different lifestyle factors associated with brain ageing as well as practical support including goal setting, motivational interviewing, brain training, dietary and exercise consultations, and a 26-week post-intervention booster session. Follow-up assessments are conducted for all participants at 13, 39 and 65 weeks from baseline, with the primary outcome being exposure to dementia risk factors measured using the Australian National University-Alzheimer's Disease Risk Index. Secondary measures include cognitive function, quality of life, functional impairment, motivation to change behaviour, self-efficacy, morale and dementia literacy. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained from the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee (HC210012, 19 February 2021). The results of the study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and research conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12621000977875.

Non-pharmacological interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia in residential aged care settings: An umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms amongst people living with dementia in residential aged care is high. Their presence is associated with poorer quality of life for residents and higher burden of care for staff. Existing reviews have not focused on the evaluation of efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions in specific population settings (community vs. residential aged care). OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions to manage neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia in residential aged care settings. DESIGN: An umbrella review was conducted. DATA SOURCES: PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched for eligible reviews in December 2019, February 2020 and June 2021. METHODS: Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts, and assessed full-text reviews for eligibility. The quality of reviews was appraised with 'AMSTAR-2: A Measurement tool to assess systematic reviews'. Narrative summaries grouped findings by intervention domains. RESULTS: From 1362 systematic reviews identified, 26 met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 10 focused on person tailored interventions, six on sensory stimulation interventions, three on environmental interventions, three on exercise interventions, and four on multiple intervention types. Quality ratings identified reviews to be of mostly moderate quality (73%). The majority or reviews reported positive results but not all were statistically significant. Tailored interventions that included music and social elements appeared to be most beneficial for depressive symptoms and mood. Furthermore, outcome measures and intervention protocols were highly heterogeneous across interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this umbrella review suggest that combining different types of interventions and tailoring them to the personal experiences of the resident is recommended. A more standardised approach for outcome measures used is vital to assess efficacy and allow comparison of future non-pharmacological interventions.

Social Cognition and Social Functioning in MCI and Dementia in an Epidemiological Sample.

OBJECTIVE: Social cognition is impaired in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. However, its relationship to social functioning and perceived social support has yet to be explored. Here, we examine how theory of mind (ToM) relates to social functioning in MCI and dementia. METHODS: Older adults (cognitively normal = 1272; MCI = 132; dementia = 23) from the PATH Through Life project, a longitudinal, population-based study, were assessed on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), measures of social functioning, and social well-being. The associations between RMET performance, social functioning, and cognitive status were analysed using generalised linear models, adjusting for demographic variables. RESULTS: Participants with MCI (b=-.52, 95% CI [-.70, -.33]) and dementia (b=-.78, 95% CI [-1.22, -.34]) showed poorer RMET performance than cognitively normal participants. Participants with MCI and dementia reported reduced social network size (b=-.21, 95% CI [-.40, -.02] and b=-.90, 95% CI [-1.38, -.42], respectively) and participants with dementia reported increased loneliness (b = .36, 95% CI [.06, .67]). In dementia, poorer RMET performance was associated with increased loneliness (b=-.07, 95% CI [-.14, -.00]) and a trend for negative interactions with partners (b=-.37, 95% CI [-.74, .00]), but no significant associations were found in MCI. CONCLUSIONS: MCI and dementia were associated with poor self-reported social function. ToM deficits were related to poor social function in dementia but not MCI. Findings highlight the importance of interventions to address social cognitive deficits in persons with dementia and education of support networks to facilitate positive interactions and social well-being.