Breakthroughs in dementia care

Scientists continue in their quest to both diagnose and care for dementia sufferers. Recently, there have been two interesting breakthroughs in dementia care

A simple eye test to diagnose Alzheimer’s?

Researchers at Lancaster University have discovered that people with dementia have problems with a simple eye test

When asked to look away from light, people with dementia made mistakes ten times more frequently than those who did not.

The reason this is potentially exciting is that currently, the tests for dementia are lengthy and depend on a series of neurological tests

Patients with dementia often lack the concentration to complete these tests

A simpler eye test might make diagnosis easier and less distressing for the patient. Dr Trevor Crawford from Lancaster University believe the light test could play a significant role in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in the future

Robots to care for the elderly

It may sound like science fiction and is, in fact, the subject of a new film, but robots who can help care for those with dementia and other conditions linked to old age may well be closer to reality than we think

In Japan, they have been investing in ‘nursebots’ for the past decade

Now, an American company called iRobot, which began making robots for the US military, is beginning to make robots aimed at helping the elderly

The robots have wheels, rather than legs and older people can still find them alienating, but researchers believe that as the next generation ages, they will be less averse to the robots, as technology is already a greater part of their lives

Scientists are hopeful that robots can take over many of the daily repetitive tasks that the elderly can find so difficult.

You can take a glimpse at the future of robots helping the elderly in the forthcoming film, Robot and Frank, where a friendly robot looks after an old man in his house and entertains him