Technology for Senior Citizens

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/get-old-tune-out-istechnology-leaving-the-elderly-in-the-dust/

Research Question
Is there a difference in what senior citizens,

both predisposed to Alzheimers and not,

remember about new skills taught on
technology after an extended period of
time?

Hypothesis
If a class is given to teach new skills on technology to

senior citizens once a week for four weeks, then, after

a month of no classes, people who are either
predisposed to Alzheimers or have relatives that had
Alzheimers will remember less of the skills taught
during the classes.

Quotes

The main goal is to get people to live as

well as they can, for as long as they

can.-Dr. Maylath, Geriatrician for Palmetto Health1
The goal this year for my project is
to determine if there is a correlation
between predisposition of Alzheimer's and
memory loss, so next year I could do a more extensive
project to try and decline the loss of memory and let people
live as well as they can.

Similar Studies
A study has been conducted in Manhattan to prevent

memory loss, starting with people with family members

with dementia. This study is analyzing whether people
with family members diagnosed with dementia tend to
develop dementia as well.2
Neuro Alzheimer's Disease can help offset the symptoms
of Alzheimer's, shown in a study at Harvard. It isn't
apparent how long the results will last, but it was found
that modern activities were more helpful.3
Research and testing has shown that increasing daily
activities is more effective than mind games, exercising,
and eating healthy.4

Design and Methodology

Gain permission to get participants from The Heritage at

Lowman, retirement home in White Rock, SC

Hand out survey and describe methodology to possible
subjects
Get responses and set up technology classes
Hold class once a week for 30 minutes teaching them new
skills on a portable technological device
Keep track of skills taught in each class including who was
there each week
Teach various skills including sending emails, taking
pictures, downloading apps, update Facebook, or anything
else they wish to do

Design and Methodology cont.

Continue to let them practice throughout the week by

emailing tasks to do and checking to make sure they

get done
After the four weeks of classes are over assess them
on completion of skill and return after one month to
test their memory on each skill they learned
Compare data to earlier assessment and analyze
based on their background concerning Alzheimer's

Variables
Control: length of class, how skills are taught, how

assessments are done, and how assessments are

scored
Independent: background concerning Alzheimer's,
predisposed and not
Dependent: what each group remembers after the
month of no classes

Data Collection
16 responses to initial survey

All either didnt have the

devices listed on the survey
or didnt want to take the class
1 was available to take class,
will be used with people from
the second survey
People stated they would be
happy to participate,
but they dont have the devices

Analysis of and Interpretation Initial Survey

86% of the people dont have the devices that I listed, so

a new survey was made (see right)

7% had devices and were interested
7% had devices and werent interested
I made an assumption that people would, so changes
were made accordingly

Results and Analysis of Second Survey

9 responses to second survey

6 said yes to taking the

class

3 said they would not be

interested because of no
devices or not wanting to
take the class
11% of the people dont have
the devices listed
67% have the devices and are
interested in the class
22% have the devices but
arent interested in the class

Data
Predisposed
Participant
number

Preliminary
score (%)
1

85

80

86

45

98

86

100

92

Preliminary score (%)

Not Predisposed

Post-score (%)
Participant
number

Post-score (%)
91

75

88.5

50

86

25

83.5

81
1

82

91

88

86

Preliminary score (%)

100

Preliminary score Post-score (%)

(%)

Post-score (%)

Analysis of data
Matched pair's t-test will be used to examine the

scores before and after for both groups of people

Analysis of difference in memory after a period of
time will be based on p value
Small p value shows people predisposed to
Alzheimer's have more memory loss

Conclusion
The p value of the predisposed group was .14
The p value of the non-predisposed group was .63
This shows that the neither group had a significant

difference in memory loss, but since the

predisposed group was lower this proves my
hypothesis correct in saying they remembered less
Not statistically significant

Footnotes
1. Idea of project [Telephone interview]. (2014, September 22).
2. Reddy, S. (2014, September 16). Alzheimer's prevention for 30-something's with

no symptoms. The Wall Street Journal, pp. D1-D4.

3. Harvard. Can we reverse Alzheimer's? New approaches from Harvard offer
hope. (2013).Harvard Health Letter,38(3), 1.
4. Consumers. How to sharpen your memory now. (cover story). (2014,
April).Consumer Reports on Health,26(5), 1.
Harvard. Before dementia begins: What helps?. (2013).Harvard Men's Health
Watch,18(3), 1.
Nutritionists. Ginkgo Counteracts Dementia and Stroke. (2009).Better
Nutrition,71(1), 12.
Herper, M. (2012). Reverse engineering the brain.Forbes,190(6), 72.