Dementia-Friendly Online Worship Services

Application

Religious (Christian) service videos available through a public online platform that are tailored to support the well-being of caregivers and family members of persons living with dementia (PLWD).

Key Benefits

Provides relief from anxiety.
Reduced behavior disturbances.
Improved quality of life for individuals living with dementia and their caregivers.

Market Summary

More than 5 million Americans over the age of 65 are living with some form of dementia. Dementia impairs cognitive function which is often accompanied by changes in mood, emotional control, behavior, or motivation. Religious activity can help provide relief and improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their family caregivers. Researchers at Emory University have developed the Dementia-Friendly Online Worship program, a set of short worship service videos and associated guidelines for churches/religious organizations to adopt for creating their own dementia-friendly online worship service. This will cater to people with dementia who are unable to concentrate for long periods of time.

Technical Summary

The invention consists of a set of brief videos and associated guidelines for places of worship and religious organizations to adopt to create their dementia-friendly online worship service. The program consists of guidelines for 15-minute service videos for congregants to watch streamed over a video conference platform. The videos include music such as traditional hymns as well as prayers and brief sermons. It is requested that families and care groups watch the online service worship videos together weekly. The program integrates a variety of concepts from other Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and family related programs to ensure a reduction in loneliness, helplessness, and stress in families and persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.