Finding the right technology for people with dementia – how ADAM can help

One of the biggest misconceptions is that a dementia diagnosis automatically means the end of independence. It doesn’t. People can live well with dementia for many years.

In fact, new technology is making independent living safer and more achievable than ever. A recent BBC News report highlights a pioneering NHS trial where smart mattresses, door sensors and ‘sock sensors’ are just some of the gadgets being used in people’s homes to keep people living with dementia safe at home and, as a result, reduce hospital admissions.

“We really welcome research trials like this. We support thousands of families…and we see what an enabler technology can be, not just in a preventative way, but in helping people keep their independence to stay at home for longer.” – Fiona Corner, Head of Development, Alzheimer Scotland

While this project, led by the UK Dementia Research Institute, represents the future of home-based care, many families and carers today face a more immediate hurdle: how to find accessible, everyday technology that solves ‘right-now’ problems without feeling overwhelmed.

This is where Alzheimer Scotland’s ADAM platform comes in, bridging the gap between tech-based medical research and the practical needs of everyday life. This shifts the perspective a little, from what a device can do to its real-life impact. We believe that the exciting thing isn’t the technology itself, but what it enables – helping someone with dementia retain their independence, confidence, and choice, so they can stay in their own home for longer.

Co-designed by people living with dementia with funding support from the Scottish Government, Alzheimer Scotland’s ADAM website is an online self-help tool designed to match technology with people’s specific health needs. It was launched to remove the guesswork for people who aren’t familiar with assistive technologies or how they work, acting like a ‘digital friend’. Visitors to the site can browse for products or take a brief, friendly questionnaire about what daily issues are becoming challenging. ADAM then curates a personalised list of easy-to-use, easily available products that have been tried-and-tested by real families. Items that can be found on the high street, like digital clocks, specialised phones, smart sensors, talking photo albums, and key finders are all listed.

In the trial reported by the BBC, families use an array of advanced sensors that learn daily routines to spot early signs of infection, monitor eating habits, and offer a guardrail in case people with dementia leave the house without their carer knowing. Though basic door sensors and motion-activated devices do already exist, the type of sophisticated systems used in the trial aren’t yet widely available and will carry a cost when they are. But by pairing these future innovations with the immediate, practical tools available on ADAM, we can ensure that people living with dementia remain empowered, safe, and in control of their own lives.

Of course, introducing such gadgets can raise concerns about privacy and oversharing personal habits. It is an important balance to strike, to ensure that a person’s rights and autonomy are never compromised. Technology should never be done to someone because they have dementia. Wherever possible, they should be involved in choosing what technology they would like, what information is collected, and who can access it.

We believe that assistive technology should complement hands-on human care, not replace it. People with dementia thrive on relationships, meaningful conversations, daily reassurance, and human connections – technology just offers another layer of support to complement that. After all, a device can track a heartbeat, but it can’t give a hug.

While the BBC report showcases specialised tools that are currently clinically monitored, ADAM focuses on products that are highly effective in helping to manage daily tasks and are freely available in retail outlets.

Ultimately, the technologies noted in the report and the accessible advice found on the ADAM platform share the same objective: to empower people to stay in their own homes for longer and more safely, while offering respite and peace of mind for their families and carers.

As the NHS continues to evaluate the broader roll-out of high-tech home sensors, families can explore what tools are available to make daily life a little easier now. To find out more, visit www.meetadam.org to discover accessible, high-street technology that can be selected according to personal needs.