Reminder as displayed on Mindings
Commercial hydration reminder product
Mindings
Read a full case study on Mindings creation here.
Situation
Whilst trialing Mindings in a local authority assisted living facility, we were made aware of a critical health issue among elderly users: dehydration. This problem is particularly acute for seniors, especially those with cognitive impairments like dementia. Dehydration can lead to various health complications, including dizziness, confusion, falls, urinary infections, sleeping problems, and increased anxiety. According to a study by The Royal Society of Medicine, care home residents are five times more likely to be dehydrated on hospital admission than those living at home.
The challenge was to find an effective way to remind elderly users to drink water regularly using the Mindings platform.
The Task
The Mindings team set out to develop and test a new feature that would encourage better hydration habits among elderly users. The objectives were to:
1. Utilise the existing Mindings timed content "Flexible Notes" feature to deliver hydration reminders.
2. Design reminders that would be effective for users with varying levels of cognitive ability.
3. Measure the impact of these reminders on users' hydration habits.
4. Explore the use of smart devices to track actual water consumption.
Action
The team developed a two-stage trial to test and refine the hydration reminder feature:
Stage 1: Visual Reminders
1. Implemented the "Flexible Notes" feature to display personalised hydration reminders on the Mindings digital frame.
2. Set up timed reminders throughout the day, with the option to make the reminder the only item on screen for a set duration.
3. Tested various types of visual cues:
• A picture of a glass of water
• A picture of someone drinking water
• A picture of the user themselves drinking water
• A picture of a friend, loved one, or carer drinking water
• A picture of a glass of water
• A picture of someone drinking water
• A picture of the user themselves drinking water
• A picture of a friend, loved one, or carer drinking water
Reminder with a water glass.
Reminder with a familiar person drinking water.
Stage 2: Smart Device Integration
Introduced a "hacked" commercial product that incorporated a pressure sensor placed under a water jug to record when users actually poured themselves water, allowed for more accurate tracking of water consumption and the effectiveness of reminders.
Throughout both stages, the team collected feedback from users and their caregivers to assess the impact and usability of the feature.
Existing commercial product "hacked" for the trial.
Results
The trial of the hydration reminder feature on the Mindings platform was successful, yielding several positive outcomes (see the Appendix for more details):
Increased awareness: Users became more conscious of their hydration needs, with many reporting that they appreciated the gentle reminders.
Improved hydration habits: Caregivers noted an increase in water consumption among users, potentially reducing the risk of dehydration-related health issues.
Most effective visual cue: The trial revealed that a picture of a friend, loved one, or carer drinking water was the most successful in prompting users to drink water. This finding aligns with previous research suggesting that images of people performing actions are more effective than text or images of objects alone.
Enhanced monitoring: The integration of the pressure sensor provided valuable data on (perceived) actual water consumption, allowing for more targeted interventions and adjustments to the reminder schedule.
Positive user feedback: Users and their families reported high satisfaction with the feature. One user's daughter described Mindings as a "godsend," highlighting its effectiveness in managing care and maintaining family connection.
Versatility: The trial demonstrated the platform's ability to adapt to users' specific needs, showcasing Mindings as a flexible and personalisable telecare solution.
The success of this trial led to the full implementation of the flexible notes reminder feature in the Mindings platform. It has also opened up possibilities for similar reminder systems for other health-related activities, further enhancing the platform's value in elderly care.
FUTURE WORK
Building on the success and learnings from this trial, several avenues for future development and research were identified:
Dynamic Image Library:
• Create a diverse bank of hydration-related images that can be chosen randomly for each reminder. This variety could help maintain user engagement and prevent "reminder fatigue".
• Include seasonally appropriate (or even weather appropriate) images (e.g., cool drinks in summer, warm beverages in winter) to increase relevance.
Flexible Timing Windows:
• Instead of fixed reminder times, implement a system where reminders occur within specified time windows. This randomisation could prevent users from ignoring reminders that come at predictable times.
Personalisation Algorithm:
• Develop an algorithm that learns from user interactions and hydration patterns.
• Optimise reminder frequency, timing, and image selection based on when users are most responsive.
Integration with Smart Devices:
• Expand on the pressure sensor concept to include smart cups or bottles that can directly measure liquid consumption.
• Partnerships with health tech companies to incorporate wearable devices that can detect hydration levels (e.g. the Nix Hydration Biosensor).
Environmental Adaptations:
• Incorporate data from smart home devices to adjust reminders based on room temperature or humidity levels, which can affect hydration needs.
By pursuing these avenues for future development, Mindings can continue to innovate in the telecare space, providing increasingly effective and personalised solutions to support the health and well-being of vulnerable seniors.
Appendix - Experimental Trial
Hydration Experiment
A three-week experiment was conducted in an assisted-living home for seniors to test the effectiveness of different Mindings hydration reminder strategies. Three residents, all pre-existing Mindings users, participated in the study. Each participant's room was equipped with a water jug placed on a sensor device to record themes of hydration-related interactions throughout the trial.
Week 1: In this baseline, Mindings operated as usual without specific hydration prompts, establishing normal water consumption patterns.
Week 2: Introduced daily text prompts on Mindings encouraging water consumption.
Week 3: Mindings displayed photos of family members accompanied by text encouraging hydration.
Results
Results showed a progressive improvement in hydration habits:
Week 2 saw approximately 20% more water jug sensor activity compared to the baseline.
Week 3 demonstrated a more substantial increase of about 35%. Notably, the personalised photo prompts in week three proved most effective in encouraging water consumption.
It's important to note that this wasn't a strictly controlled trial. Variables such as staff independently prompting residents to drink water and family members using Mindings to encourage hydration couldn't be eliminated, potentially influencing the results. However, these factors reflect real-world usage scenarios, adding ecological validity to the findings.
Post-trial interviews with family members revealed an engaging anecdote: one participant was observed raising their glass in a "cheers" gesture to their family member's picture during a Mindings prompt in week three. This heartwarming interaction highlights the potential of personalised prompts to not only improve hydration but also enhance emotional connections and engagement among users.
End