This program is made specifically for persons with memory issues. We have taken years of research findings relating to caregiving for dementia and combined them into this app and project. We are confident that we can work with participants in all but the very latest stage of the condition. We would be happy to work with your loved one and do all we can to enrich their life with the potential benefits found in the H4C App.

Yes, this project is covered under all applicable privacy rules, from HIPAA to Federal research regulations. Within the study, and on all study documentation, your loved one will be identified only by a number and never by their name. This protects their confidentiality.

Sure! All of the activities can be done with limited hearing or vision. We have developed “work-arounds” that allow your loved one’s caregiver to still guide them through the activities and have an enjoyable time.

It has been shown in the research literature that positive engagement is good for people experiencing memory issues. The goal of the H4C App is to promote engagement, connection, and discussion. It also helps to foster a strong relationship between your caregiver and your loved one. The activities are just a way to get there. As such, it is fully possible to benefit from the project even if they don’t usually enjoy activities. Our past experience has also shown that most clients enjoy at least one of the HOME 4 CARE activities. However, it is certainly possible that your loved one will not enjoy doing them. It is very useful for us to learn which activities people do and do not like, so enrolling your loved one would still be very useful.

Researchers will visit up to two times per week over the course of a four-month period. The same research staff will visit your loved one, so that he/she will get to know them. The first and last months will be for collecting data, and the two middle months will be the time in which your loved one will be able to participate in the H4C activities and their caregiver will have the opportunity to go through the training program.

Your loved one is free to decline to participate in the study as a whole, or in any part of it, at any time. The study is fully voluntary and we want it to be a fun experience. If your loved one decides that he/she does not want to participate on a given day, we will stop and try visiting on a different day. If they continue to say no, then we will discontinue their participation in the program.

Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, the company conducting this study, is a leading dementia care provider and training institute. The headquarters of the company are located in Boston, Massachusetts, and there is a satellite research office in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. Hearthstone has been caring for people living with dementia for over 25 years. Hearthstone’s evidence-based programs create meaning and purpose throughout the disease process. In fact, many industry best practices and innovations found their start at Hearthstone. We use empirical research and so we know what works best. Hearthstone’s innovative and extensive staff training is used all over the world, and our skills-based approach enables those with whom we work to enjoy good health, good memories, and good times.