CONFIDENCE - Mobility Assistance System for People with Dementia

In close collaboration with research and care institutions, the project has developed and tested a mobility assistance service for people with dementia. It combines personal assistance with state-of-the-art technology and helps those living with dementia to remain mobile and active for longer.

Short Description

The solution won two international AAL Awards in 2014.

Primary users of the mobility assistance service are older people displaying the first signs of cognitive impairment or incipient dementia, as well as those with mild to moderate dementia.

Secondary users are family caregivers, professional carers and volunteers. All stakeholders were heavily involved in each stage of the project. To ensure that their wishes and requirements could be met, workshops were organised in Austria, Switzerland and Romania.

Based on the results of these workshops, the following issues were taken into account when developing the assistance system: support with everyday tasks and in emergencies, disorientation and forgetfulness, social inclusion and reducing the burden on carers.

App, Web Portal and Community

In the european Active and Assisted Living (AAL)-Project, CONFIDENCE, two smartphone applications have been developed – one for primary and one for secondary users – as well as a web portal for managing the “CONFIDENCE Community”, which provides additional support.

Developments included a support feature with video or voice call, an emergency feature, a calendar and reminder feature, a navigation feature, as well as a surroundings feature with information on the latest weather conditions and tips for suitable clothing.

The CONFIDENCE Community has been established with the aim of reducing the burden on caregivers by integrating all the people involved in the care process, as well as other volunteers, and coordinating the responsibilities and tasks via the CONFIDENCE web portal.

Field Tests with Primary and Secondary End Users

The system was tested under real conditions in two six-week field tests involving approximately 450 primary and secondary end users in Austria, Switzerland and Romania. After using the system, 51 percent of primary users stated that CONFIDENCE had a positive effect on their lives.

The most common reasons indicated were a heightened sense of safety, more communication with others and less forgetfulness. The product is now being prepared for series production. Its main USPs are the combination of ICT and personal support, different service levels, the option to develop and integrate care networks, developed in collaboration with “real” end users. The plan is for CONFIDENCE to be sold by caregiving organisations.

Project Partners

Consortium Manager

Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft m. b. H.

Participating Countries

Austria, the Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland

Contact Address

Project Coordinator

DIin (FH) Mag.a Cornelia Schneider
E-mail: cornelia.schneider@salzburgresearch.at