Healthcare professionals and families coping with Alzheimer’s patients face enormous challenges. Individuals in the early stages of the disease often appear reasonably healthy and alert but forget to take essential medication. Those in the later stages of the disease cannot care for themselves and require constant monitoring.
Product Development Technologies, Inc. (PDT) hopes to address these challenges. The Lake Zurich, Illinois firm is developing a suite of products that assist Alzheimer’s patients and allow them to function at a higher level. These products aim to help patients at various stages of the disease, from pre-diagnosis to in-home health and nursing home care.
“Alzheimer’s takes an immense toll on those surrounding or involved with those diagnosed with the disease. Constant care and monitoring is required to ensure a patient’s safety,” states Gil Cavada, Senior Designer at PDT.
The “Buddy” tablet device is aimed at individuals in the earliest stages of the disease. It eliminates sticky notes and a tangle of ad hoc systems. The Buddy provides reminders for doctor’s appointments and medicine, monitors diet and food supply, and relays important data onto medical professionals. The handheld unit also includes brain games and offers a simple interface for communicating with family members.
Another device, “Pharma,” scans pill bottles to automatically trigger the dispensing of medication at the proper times. It also sorts medications and automatically re-orders when a refill is required. The device can connect to the Buddy and other PDT devices.
Finally, there’s the “Smartlet,” GPS tracking bracelet. The device, which cannot be removed by a patient, monitors a person’s whereabouts, stores insurance and medical data, provides reminders about medication and appointments, and verifies medicine consumption through perspiration. Medical professionals, police and ambulance crews can quickly scan the device and obtain data about the person’s current condition.
PDT hopes to introduce these products commercially within the next couple of years. “There is a need for medical devices designed to aid in managing healthcare more actively and dynamically,” Cavada says.
CONNECT THE DOTS
For more information about PDT, visit the company’s website. For a look at how Alzheimer’s will likely impact society over the next decade and what might be done to combat it, read The Coming Epidemic of Alzheimer’s Disease by Gary Small, a professor of psychiatry and director of the UCLA Center on Aging. Also check out MedlinePlus for news and detailed reports on Alzheimer’s Disease. For more news on brain health, take a look at our blog post, “Mental Fitness 101.”
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