A-T.A.C.T. App: Live-Chat Therapy for Alzheimer's Caregivers

Caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients face severe physical and emotional challenges, including stress, exhaustion, and depression. As Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progresses, caregivers often have little time to address their own health and well-being, leading to burnout. With over 55 million people living with Alzheimer’s and insufficient numbers of caregivers, this issue is exacerbated. Caregivers frequently experience mental and physical health problems due to the strain of managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, which include aggression and memory loss (Bessey & Walaszek, 2019). A study in China found that caregivers commonly struggle with depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, which can harm their overall health (Vu et al., 2022).

Given the challenges caregivers face and the lack of a cure for Alzheimer’s, supporting caregivers is essential. One approach to help alleviate the burden is the use of technology. The iCare app, for example, integrates IoT technology (e.g., Apple Smartwatches) to monitor patients’ heart rate and location, which is transmitted to the caregiver’s phone. This helps caregivers track their loved ones’ well-being, set reminders for tasks, and access information about Alzheimer’s. The app’s ease of use and positive user feedback (94% satisfaction) show its effectiveness in reducing caregiver stress and promoting patient independence (Aljehani et al., 2018).