Wicked Smart Pad: Washable Sensorized Bedding for the Prevention and Detection of Moisture Events

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Project Summary/Abstract: Due to decreased mobility, deterioration in activities of daily living, and neurological decline that contributes to loss of bladder control, incontinence is a leading comorbidity for those individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Further, individuals with incontinence are susceptible to the development of pressure ulcers (PUs), with nearly 40% of advanced dementia patients developing PUs. Rightly, there is heighten concern that increasing rates of dementia will lead to higher rates of PUs, resulting in increased suffering and mortality in the ADRD population. While the impact of PUs in the acute setting is well understood, there is a range of potential iatrogenic skin injuries regarded as an inevitable part of aging that remain underappreciated and under-investigated in ambulatory memory care units and assisted living (AL) facilities. Maintaining skin integrity in ADRD patients is an ever-present challenge for healthcare providers and caregivers, as well as a significant financial burden. Early detection of moisture events mitigates the complications associated with incontinence, improving the quality-of-care patients receive. While efforts have been made to address incontinence through product innovation, none have utilized a fully integrated systems approach that incorporates unobtrusive sensor technology, early detection, and has a positive environmental impact. Wicked Sheets, a Kentucky-based, woman-owned business, has developed the Wicked Smart Pad, a washable and reusable, sensorized bedding pad system. It alerts caregivers when a moisture event occurs via wireless communication, collecting vital information to support the care team. In Phase I, the PI and the collaborating site, Atria Park of Great Neck, New York, will determine the feasibility and usability of the sensorized bedding pad system, evaluate its acceptability by care staff and residents alike. Aims: 1: Evaluate the feasibility, usability, and durability of the Wicked Smart Pad for individuals with ADRD in an assisted living home. 2: Evaluate usage and acceptability of care staff interaction with the Wicked Smart pad. 3: Engineer power-efficient firmware that collects and transmits moisture event data through a HIPAA compliant wireless network, which integrates within the test site’s network on a user-friendly dashboard. At the end of Phase 1, Wicked Sheets will have implemented the Wicked Smart Pad to patients with ADRD in an assisted living community, received feedback on the bedding, hardware, and software from the end-users, and assessed the ability to collect moisture samples. Phase II efforts will include device and firmware enhancements. This novel technology serves as a prevention and intervention tool for care staff, ADRD family members, and the healthcare community at large to reduce the burdens of the workforce and financial strain, enhancing the quality of life and care of those individuals living with ADRD.