Abstract
To date, there is no cure for AD or any of the other dementia syndromes. Providing and organizing good care is one of the most important interventions affecting quality of life of patients and their caregivers. E-health technologies provide new opportunities to improve the efficiency and quality of current health practice. Here we present a unique and innovative web-based portal, the Digital Alzheimer Center (DAC), developed at the Alzheimer Center of the VU University Medical Center (VUmc). The main goals for the set-up of this portal were made in close cooperation with patients and caregivers who participated throughout the process. The lay-out and architecture of this portal were designed to fit the capabilities of patients with dementia. The DAC consists of three different components: 1)Information: the DAC offers reliable, up-to-date information on all aspects of dementia. It contains details on different types of dementia, information regarding practical and legal matters, and offers a separate area with support for caregivers. The information is enriched with animations and attractive graphics. 2)Peer to peer communication: in the online community users have access to a forum where they can exchange information with other patients, caregivers and health care professionals. There is a chatroom and option for more private contact with other users. Upcoming events and news from both the Alzheimer Center and the (inter)national Alzheimer community are communicated here. 3)Access to medical data: in a separate, secured section users can access their registration details, view their appointments and medical correspondence, and submit e-consults to health care professionals. Soon, the opportunity to consult the physician from their own homes through video connection will become available. The portal was launched in January 2012, has currently over a 1000 registered users and receives over 200 monthly visits. Training and hands-on practice are offered by tri-monthly, group-based workshops. The DAC shows that innovative internet-based applications are feasible in dementia-care. Various features of the DAC and strategies for development of online portals for patients with dementia will be presented.
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