A Mixed Reality Cognitive Orthosis to Support Older Adults in Achieving Their Daily Living Activities: Focus Group Study With Clinical Experts.
Amel Yaddaden, Guillaume Spalla, Charles Gouin-Vallerand and 2 others
PMID 35857354WHAT IT FOUND
Experts identified that older adults with dementia struggle primarily with initiating and planning tasks, not just memory.
They viewed mixed reality headsets as promising for providing visual cues and safety warnings during activities like cooking, though stigma and cost remain barriers.
Key findings
01The main difficulties identified were remembering to complete tasks, initiating tasks, remembering where one is in a task, and planning tasks.
02Experts suggested mixed reality could support three clinical functions: assessment, assistance, and training, with assistance being the most useful.
03Barriers to adoption included social stigma due to the device's appearance, privacy concerns, and the risk of nausea or confusion.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study did not include the perspective of older adults with neurodegenerative disorders directly, relying instead on expert proxies. Participants were recruited from a single city, limiting generalizability. The technology described (Microsoft HoloLens 2) was not tested in practice; findings are based on expert opinions about a theoretical application.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Funding was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and other local bodies.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume mixed reality headsets are proven effective for improving daily living activities in older adults with dementia. This study reports expert opinions on potential uses and barriers, not clinical outcomes from a trial.