My MESSAGE: Improving Wayfinding and Reducing Challenging Behaviors in Persons with Dementia Through the Use of RFID Technology - In the proposed study, we will develop and evaluate a product called My MESSAGE (Multimedia Ecopsychosocial
Support System for Alzheimer’s within Geriatric Environments), which will circumvent the limitations of traditional
visual cues and also provide unprecedented flexibility and precision for assisting with wayfinding and reducing other
challenging behaviors in PWD. The target consumer for MM will be nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult
day centers, all of which serve PWD. The central component of the system will be the MM Display System. Monitors
will be installed at carefully-selected locations in locked Special Care Units and/or other residential care facilities for
PWD. When a resident nears a monitor, the MM Display System will, through the use of Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID), recognize that the resident is nearby, retrieve information from a database, and display a
customized message, image, or video clip for that specific person. Staff members will be able to create and deploy
appropriate messages for each resident from any computer, tablet, or smartphone by accessing the MM Administration
Portal. Staff will also have access to the MM Visibility Test, which will allow users to ensure that the message size is
appropriate for the PWD. Finally, consumers will have access to the MM Training Module, a 45-minute interactive,
SCORM-compliant course, which explain how to use the MM Admin Portal, discuss how to create appropriate
messages for PWD, and answer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The Phase 1 study will have the following Specific
Aims: (1) develop Alpha Versions of the MM Display System, Administration Portal, Visibility Test, and Training Module,
(2) examine the Impact of the MM System on PWD, and (3) examine Staff Satisfaction with the MM System. This Phase 1
Project will set the groundwork for a Phase 2 study in which we will create Beta Versions of all components of the MM
System, test the MM System with a larger number of sites and participants, test the System in other settings (including Adult
Day Centers and Senior Living Apartments), examine the effect of the product on PWD for a longer period of time, and
examine the use of face detection technology for persons who do not wear RFID tags.
