A cross-platform application for the ecological and remote assessment of memory impairment in aging: ECO-MEMORY

This work aims to present the first step of a creation of an instrument to assess memory deficits responding to the needs imposed by the inability to access clinical care, such as physical or geographical constraints or still limitations imposed during the pandemic era. The older population, who would benefit from these services, may be at risk as access to services that support psychological and neuropsychological needs, which are not considered essential, has frequently been restricted in recent years. Moreover, because deficits are commonly mistaken for the effects of physiological aging, the early signs of cognitive decline might be ignored. On these bases, we used the potential of 360-degree media to create an application for memory assessment without the physical presence of clinicians: ECO-MEMORY. Firstly, we developed the application and evaluated its usability. ECO-MEMORY is divided into four sections, each addressing a different memory task: recognizing objects and faces, learning a path, and creating an allocentric map. Thirteen older adults who used the tablet application provided usability data as well as qualitative feedback on their experience. After the performance, the System Usability Scale, the Senior Technology Acceptance Model, and the Independent Television Commission Sense of Presence were administered. We performed a qualitative analysis and descriptive statistics, which showed that ECO-MEMORY is a usable instrument. Also, it was enjoyable for users who generally accepted technology in their life. ECO-MEMORY may therefore offer a promising approach to memory evaluation by including real-world scenarios.