An interactive digital calendar with mobile phone reminders (RemindMe) for people with cognitive impairment: A pilot randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: People with cognitive impairment often need support to perform everyday-life activities. Interventions are available, but evidence-based interventions are lacking.

AIM: This pilot RCT aimed to investigate use of an intervention with an interactive digital calendar with mobile phone reminders (RemindMe) in relation to change in outcomes and impact on occupational performance, independence, health-related quality of life, and psychosocial impact of the support for people with cognitive impairment.

METHOD: The study design was a multi-centre parallel-group pilot RCT [ClinicalTrails.gov, identifier: NCT04470219]. Fifteen participants from primary rehabilitation centres in Sweden were recruited and randomly assigned to intervention group (n = 8) receiving the intervention with RemindMe, or control group (n = 7) receiving usual treatment by an occupational therapist. Data were collected at baseline, after two- and four months, and analysed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics.

RESULT: The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM item n-r) showed significant differences. There were no significant differences in health-related quality of life nor in the psychosocial impact of the used support.

CONCLUSION: Plausible changes in outcome measures were found in COPM and FIM (items n-r). These instruments indicate change in outcome measures and impact on occupational performance and independence.