A mobile app to deliver music-based interventions to combat neuropsychiatric symptoms in people living with AD/ADRD
Awardee Organization(s): AutoTune Me LLC
Principal Investigator(s): Kendra Ray, PhD, MPH, MT-BC
Official Project Title: A Music-Based Mobile App to Combat Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in People Living with ADRD
AITC Partner: PennAITech
Website(s): www.autotuneme.org
The purpose of this pilot project is to develop a mobile application “TuneMind” that detects pulse and sedentary movements of homebound individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and triggers auto-play of personalized songs in a wearable device. By collecting quantitative and qualitative data from the app and users, we will test the acceptability and feasibility of the app. This app will be an important tool to include in daily caregiving in a home setting by extending established benefits of music therapy for people with ADRD. The aims are as follows:
Aim 1. Develop TuneMind. TuneMind will be developed to respond to changes in the pattern of heart rate and sedentary behaviors of people with ADRD. An algorithm will be created to (1) find changes of the heart rate to trigger the application to play music; (2) adaptively improve learning when music is needed, e.g., time of day; (3) predict the music dose required to better control heart rate and movement.
Aim 2. Test the usability of the app. A total of 10 stakeholders will be asked to test TuneMind for two weeks. Based on a survey and focus groups, improvements will be made to the app.
Aim 3. Determine the performance and usability of the app for use by people with ADRD and their family caregivers at home. Twenty dyads will be recruited to test TuneMind for two weeks. We will collect physiological measures based on the app’s demonstration to auto-play music according to pulse and/or sedentary states.