A Technological Platform for Quantifying Alzheimer's Patient-Caregiver Interactions in the Walk and Talk Program

In Alzheimer's disease, maintaining proximity between patients and caregivers (CGs) is crucial for their well-being, necessitating continuous monitoring indoors and outdoors. The integration of Collective Intelligence through collaborative approaches monitored by integrated technologies may be beneficial in enhancing caregiving outcomes. However, non-pharmacological interventions like the 'Walk and Talk Program' (WTP) lack objective assessment methods. Multi-sensing approaches leveraging wearables for proximity detection using Bluetooth Low Energy and computer vision technologies for identifying subjects in the scene and measuring dialogue time are vital for accurate evaluation. This paper evaluates the validity and accuracy of these tools in supporting the WTP, through simulated real-life scenarios of patient-CG interactions. A pilot study involving volunteers replicating WTP interactions revealed promising outcomes for both wearable devices and camera systems, emphasizing their potential in advancing dementia care practices.