Reclaiming words - App based word retraining for people with SD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Reclaiming words in everyday life - App based word retraining for people with Semantic Dementia
IRAS ID
179316
Contact name
Sharon Savage
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 17 days
Research summary
People with Semantic Dementia (SD) suffer marked difficulties in naming objects and understanding everyday words. Despite such difficulties, these people have good day to day memory and attention skills and often seek help. Recent evidence has shown that word retraining programs run through a computer program at home can deliver meaningful and lasting benefits. While this is encouraging, no user friendly, freely available version of this program is currently accessible. App- based programs have become increasingly popular and provide an opportunity for a flexible, simple, accessible service delivery option (reducing the time required by clinicians to construct and monitor such therapies). This study thus aims to begin investigating the feasibility of using an app-based version of the word retraining program published by Savage and colleagues (2014). A small number of people with SD (n=4) will be invited to use the app to look at pictures on a screen, say the object name, and complete learning quizzes. Information collected regarding useage, naming performance, and acceptability of the program will be evaluated and used to help in the design of a larger study to test whether such practice can improve the lives of people with SD.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1597
Date of REC Opinion
17 Aug 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion