1. Smart diapers for nursing home residents with dementia: a pilot study
- Author
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Nico De Witte, Candy Kumps, Veerle Decalf, Karel Everaert, and Anja Huion
- Subjects
Male ,Pilot Projects ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Belgium ,Incontinence care ,Incontinence Pads ,Materials Testing ,medicine ,Homes for the Aged ,Humans ,Dementia ,Prospective Studies ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Aged ,Monitoring, Physiologic ,Aged, 80 and over ,business.industry ,Equipment Design ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,Nursing Homes ,Urinary Incontinence ,Severe dementia ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Equipment Failure ,Female ,Medical emergency ,Diapers, Adult ,Nursing homes ,business - Abstract
Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate the use of an experimental smart diaper as an indicator of saturation for diaper change in persons with dementia living in nursing homes. Methods: A multicenter prospective study was conducted in 3 nursing homes amongst 18 residents with dementia. For each resident, a frequency-volume urine chart (FVUC) was kept for 24 h including voided volume and diaper weights, wearing smart diapers. A comparative study was set up between results obtained by smart diapers and data registered in FVUCs. Results: Analysis based on quantification of the agreement between saturation calculated by smart diaper and determined by FVUC indicates that measurements reported by sensor do not correspond with measurements based on FVUC. For the regular diaper, the saturation measured by sensor may be 26% below or 39% above saturation based on FVUC and for the super diaper, respectively, 34% below or 30% above. Discussion: This study indicates that the sensor detects and notifies wetness but is not sensitive enough for using it as an indicator for diaper change in people with severe dementia.
- Published
- 2018
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