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.
Public Health Relevance Statement: Project narrative:Patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are at a significantly higher risk of developing pressure ulcers (PUs) and skin breakdown, particularly when incontinence is present. Incontinence and PU contribute to declining quality of life for ADRD patients and increased caregiver distress, causing strain on the healthcare system. Wicked Sheets has developed the Wicked Smart Pad: a washable and reusable, sensorized technology that provides ADRD caregivers with early detection of moisture events, mitigating the complications associated with incontinence, improving the quality-of-care patients receive.
Project Terms: Activities of everyday life; daily living function; daily living functionality; functional ability; functional capacity; Activities of Daily Living; 21+ years old; Adult Human; adulthood; Adult; Aging; Beds; Behavior; Blood Circulation; Bloodstream; Communication; comorbidity; co-morbid; co-morbidity; Confusion; Confusional State; Mental Confusion; decubitus ulcer; Bed Sores; Bedsore; Pressure Sore; Pressure Ulcer; pressure injury; Engineering; Feedback; Patient Care; Patient Care Delivery; Goals; Health; Healthcare Systems; Health Care Systems; Health care facility; Health Facilities; Healthcare Facility; care facilities; Health Personnel; Health Care Providers; Healthcare Providers; Healthcare worker; health care personnel; health care worker; health provider; health workforce; healthcare personnel; medical personnel; treatment provider; Heart Atrium; Atrial; Cardiac Atrium; atrium; Incontinence; Infection; Interview; Kentucky; Kidney; Kidney Urinary System; renal; Laundering; Long-Term Care; extended care; longterm care; Marketing; Methods; mortality; Neck; New York; Nursing Homes; nursing home; Pain; Painful; Panic; Patients; Pus; Quality of life; QOL; Risk Factors; Signal Transduction; Cell Communication and Signaling; Cell Signaling; Intracellular Communication and Signaling; Signal Transduction Systems; Signaling; biological signal transduction; Computer software; Software; Surveys; Survey Instrument; Testing; Time; Urinary tract infection; Urinary tract infectious disease; urinary infection; Urine; Woman; Measures; Care Givers; Caregivers; Psychomotor Agitation; Psychomotor Excitement; Psychomotor Hyperactivity; Psychomotor Restlessness; Restlessness; Agitation; Businesses; Family member; Caring; Organ; sensor; improved; Home Care; patient homecare; patient home care; Site; Acute; Phase; Neurological; Neurologic; Ensure; Susceptibility; Predisposition; Distress; Individual; Withdrawal; satisfaction; Collaborations; Ecological impact; Environmental Impact; tool; Life; Event; Sensory; System; Dementia; Amentia; Bladder Control; bladder continence; micturition control; urinary continence; urinary control; urination control; preference; innovative technologies; Early Diagnosis; early detection; Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; HIPAA; Kennedy Kassebaum Act; PL 104-191; PL104-191; Public Law 104-191; United States Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; new technology; novel technologies; Prevention; Devices; Reporting; Deterioration; Sampling; Quality of Care; QOC; Assisted Living Facilities; assisted living; assistive living; assistive living facilities; Intervention; Intervention Strategies; interventional strategy; Skin; Cell Phone; Cellular Telephone; Mobile Phones; iPhone; smart phone; smartphone; Cellular Phone; Address; Data; Detection; Dryness; Iatrogenesis; iatrogenic; iatrogenically; iatrogenicity; Collection; Enrollment; enroll; Update; Monitor; transmission process; Transmission; Development; developmental; designing; design; community living; Population; aged; innovate; innovative; innovation; user-friendly; usability; advanced dementia; high risk; data transfer; data transmission; data exchange; wireless network; Phase I Study; phase 1 study; caregivers for persons living with dementia; caregivers for persons with dementia; caregivers of individuals with dementia; caregivers of patients with dementia; dementia care giver; Dementia caregivers; Dermal injury; cutaneous injury; Skin injury; dementia care; predictive tools; health care community; healthcare community; dashboard; sensing technology; sensor technology; wireless communication; AD related dementia; ADRD; Alzheimer's and related dementias; Alzheimer's disease and related dementia; Alzheimer's disease and related disorders; Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia; Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder; Alzheimer's disease or related dementia; Alzheimer's disease related dementia; financial burden; financial distress; financial strain; financial stress; Financial Hardship; Alzheimer's patient; patient living with Alzheimer's disease; patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease; patient with Alzheimer's; patient with Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimer's disease patient; memory care; COVID crisis; COVID epidemic; COVID pandemic; COVID-19 crisis; COVID-19 epidemic; COVID-19 global health crisis; COVID-19 global pandemic; COVID-19 health crisis; COVID-19 public health crisis; COVID19 crisis; COVID19 epidemic; COVID19 global health crisis; COVID19 global pandemic; COVID19 health crisis; COVID19 pandemic; COVID19 public health crisis; SARS-CoV-2 epidemic; SARS-CoV-2 global health crisis; SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic; SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; SARS-CoV2 epidemic; SARS-CoV2 pandemic; SARS-coronavirus-2 epidemic; SARS-coronavirus-2 pandemic; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 epidemic; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 pandemic; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic; corona virus disease 2019 epidemic; corona virus disease 2019 pandemic; coronavirus disease 2019 crisis; coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic; coronavirus disease 2019 global health crisis; coronavirus disease 2019 global pandemic; coronavirus disease 2019 health crisis; coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic; coronavirus disease 2019 public health crisis; coronavirus disease crisis; coronavirus disease epidemic; coronavirus disease pandemic; coronavirus disease-19 global pandemic; coronavirus disease-19 pandemic; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 global health crisis; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 global pandemic; COVID-19 pandemic; homes; Home; wireless sensor; wireless monitor; wireless transmission; supply chain
