EXTENDING INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE OR DEMENTIA THROUGH TELEHEALTH PROGRAM DELIVERY

使命声明：共同高级健康公司。（一起），致力于帮助生活在 阿尔茨海默病及相关疾病（ADRD）及其护理人员通过提供 在他们的家中向他们直播基于证据的虚拟团体节目。意义：有 目前，美国有580万人患有ADRD，超过1600万名无偿护理人员。电流 ADRD药物有助于缓解某些症状，但不能改变病程，通常会停止使用 因为有副作用此外，大多数基于证据的行为干预-例如我们的亲自搬家 在当地社区的人们并不能广泛地获得。创新：Together 通过使用以人为本的设计原则来弥合这一差距-其中用户参与所有阶段的 设计和测试-开发和测试一个创新的，用户友好的平台，用于提供虚拟直播 为ADRD患者和家中的护理人员提供团体计划。调查人员：Together的首席执行官和 该应用程序的PI在以人为本的设计方面具有专业知识，并成功领导了我们的第一阶段小型企业 创新研究（SBIR）补助金。合作研究者和顾问带来了临床试验的专业知识， 健康、行为心理学、老年病学、定性方法、技术和教育。方法：第一阶段 中求进工作总我们的第一阶段SBIR使我们能够开发和展示我们独特方法的概念验证 直播虚拟团体节目我们已经完成或超过了我们所有的里程碑， 包括：1）与我们的面对面计划的毕业生合作创建平台; 2）试点测试 3）完善平台，为第二阶段做准备。反响 这是一个例外，参与者强调了许多身体，社会，情感和后勤方面的好处。相 II目标：SBIR第二阶段拨款的主要目标是：1）确定直播虚拟组是否 共同行动计划的实施改善了轻度ADRD患者和护理人员的生活质量， 包括探索潜在的作用机制; 2）完善轻度认知障碍者的平台 3）制定教师培训计划，以满足 更大的客户群。环境：Together的公司办公室位于旧金山弗朗西斯科， 开发和测试创新技术解决方案的环境，以应对具有挑战性的社会问题 并通过加州大学旧金山分校弗朗西斯科（UCSF）和旧金山大学（San Francisco）的调查人员的参与得到加强。 弗吉尼亚州弗朗西斯科。商业化计划：第二阶段完成后，我们将准备商业化 Together的远程医疗平台，最初使用客户付费模式，有明确的增长和扩张计划。 总结：Together的创新方法，以直播虚拟组提供基于证据的 针对ADRD患者及其家庭护理人员的计划提供了巨大的潜力， 并改善这一弱势群体和服务不足群体的生活质量。

Mission Statement: Together Senior Health, Inc. (TOGETHER), is committed to helping people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (ADRD) and their caregivers maximize quality of life by delivering livestreaming, evidence-based, virtual group programs to them in their homes. Significance: There are currently 5.8 million people in the U.S. living with ADRD and more than 16 million unpaid caregivers. Current ADRD medications help with some symptoms but do not change the disease course and are often stopped due to side effects. In addition, most evidence-based behavioral interventions—such as our in-person Moving Together program—are not widely available to people in their local communities. Innovation: TOGETHER is bridging this gap by using human centered design principles—in which the user is involved with all phases of design and testing—to develop and test an innovative, user-friendly platform for delivering livestreaming virtual group programs to people with ADRD and caregivers in their homes. Investigators: TOGETHER’s CEO and PI of this application has expertise in human centered design and successfully led our Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. Coinvestigators and consultants bring expertise in clinical trials, integrative health, behavioral psychology, geriatrics, qualitative methods, technology and education. Approach: Phase I Progress. Our Phase I SBIR enabled us to develop and demonstrate proof-of-concept for our unique approach to livestreaming virtual group program delivery. We have completed or exceeded all of our milestones, which included: 1) creating the platform in partnership with graduates of our in-person program; 2) pilot-testing the platform in a naïve group of users and 3) refining the platform in preparation for Phase II. The response has been exceptional, with participants highlighting many physical, social, emotional, and logistical benefits. Phase II Aims: The primary goals of this SBIR Phase II grant are to: 1) determine whether livestreaming virtual group delivery of the Moving Together program improves quality of life in people with mild ADRD and caregivers, including exploration of potential mechanisms of action; 2) refine the platform for people with mild cognitive impairment to expand our target audience; and 3) develop an instructor training program to meet the needs of a larger client base. Environment: TOGETHER’S corporate office is in San Francisco, which offers a rich environment for developing and testing innovative technology-based solutions to challenging social problems and is enhanced by involvement of investigators at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and San Francisco VA. Commercialization Plan: After completion of Phase II, we will be prepared to commercialize TOGETHER’s telehealth platform, initially using a client pay model, with clear plans for growth and expansion. Summary: TOGETHER’s innovative approach to livestreaming virtual group delivery of evidence-based programs for people with ADRD and caregivers in their homes offers tremendous potential to increase access and improve quality of life in this vulnerable and under-served population.