Background: Cognitive deficits arise with age and can increase the risk for subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which may result in dementia, leading to health problems, care dependency and institutionalization. Computer-based cognitive interventions (CCIs) have the potential to act as important counteraction functions in preserving or improving cognition concomitant to available pharmacological treatment. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of CCIs performed individually with a personal or tablet computer, game console, virtual, augmented, or mixed reality application on cognition in community-dwelling people with SCD, MCI and dementia. Methods: A systematic review with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed. The systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, Web of Science, Scopus and PsycINFO. In addition, a search for gray literature and backward citation searching were carried out. To judge on the evidence, two reviewers independently used the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The standardized mean difference (SDM) for pooling comparable studies using the random-effects model was applied. Results: Twenty-four RCTs were identified, of which 1 RCT examined CCIs in individuals with SCD, 18 RCTs with MCI, and 6 RCTs with dementia. Most interventions were conducted with personal computers. Meta-analyses with 12 RCTs showed significant effects of computer-based cognitive interventions for people with MCI in the domains memory, working memory, attention/concentration/processing speed and executive functioning, but no significant improvements in global cognition and language. Regarding dementia a meta-analysis pooled with 4 RCTs demonstrated a tendency towards, but no significant increase of memory functions (SMD 0.33, CI 95% [-0.10, 0.77]). One RCT regarding SCD reported significant improvements in memory functions for participants conducting a cognitive training on a personal computer. Conclusions: The results demonstrated that CCIs have beneficial effects on domain-specific cognition in people with MCI but no significant effects on people with dementia. In terms of SCD, one study showed significant improvements in memory functions. It seems that the beneficial effect for cognitive preservation or improvement due to CCIs occurs at the earliest intervention state. However, more research on SCD is needed. Trial registration: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CDR42020184069.

Aim: The study aim was to explore the physical, mental, and social effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on Austrian nurses working in hospitals.Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic required nurses to work extremely hard and over long periods, which can have physical, psychological, and social consequences.Methods: This study was carried out using a qualitative descriptive design and data was collected through individual interviews using an interview guide. A qualitative content analysis was conducted taking both deductive and inductive approaches.Findings: Eighteen nurses (average age of 34.7 years) participated in the study. Theirgeneral attitude and feelingsregarding working during the COVID‐19 pandemic in the hospital setting were positive. Severalbehavioral changesin the nurses’ daily working and private daily lives were reported.Psychological impactsincluded the fear of infecting someone at home, insomnia, and sadness. Headaches, diarrhea, muscle tension, skin redness, and increased sweating were identified as the most commonphysical impacts. In terms ofsocial impact, all nurses mentioned social isolation and the increased use of (new) media.Conclusions: Working with people suffering from COVID‐19 had psychological and physical effects on caregivers. Caregivers felt socially isolated in their private environments; however, they often compensated for this isolation by using social media.Implications for nursing and implications for nursing policy: Staff perceived the provision of sufficient information, regular team meetings, and the employer's positive reinforcement as supportive, enhancing their feelings of security.We recommend providing more psychological support and making structural adjustments in daily clinical practice to counteract the negative effects of working during a pandemic.

Background: New technologies, like socially assistive robots (SARs), may have the potential to support caregivers at home. Still, the evidence for people with dementia in home care is unclear because a lot of studies are performed in a laboratory or institutional setting, and mainly use robots in prototype stages.Objective: This study aims to explore the effects of the refined, commercially-available, humanoid SAR Pepper combined with a tablet PC–based dementia training program (Coach Pepper) versus an exclusively tablet PC–based dementia training program on psychosocial and physical outcomes of people with dementia living at home, including caregivers and dementia trainers. We hypothesize that Coach Pepper has a more positive effect on the primary outcome motivation (stable or decreased apathy) of people with dementia.Methods: A mixed methods study will be performed, including a randomized controlled, parallel, 2-arm study with a complementary qualitative part. This sample includes 40 PWD living at home and 40 relatives, each complemented with five professional caregivers and dementia trainers. The intervention group will receive Coach Pepper (a SAR connected with a tablet PC–based dementia training program), and the control group will receive exclusively tablet PC–based training without the SAR. The duration of the intervention will be three weeks per household. Data will be collected at baseline and during and after the intervention by standardized questionnaires, sensor data of the robot, and tablet PC, as well as semistructured interviews, focus groups, and observation.Results: To date, no results are available for this study protocol. The study intervention started in May 2019 and will end in Spring 2020.Conclusions: The intervention of this study can be seen as a nonpharmacological intervention, including cognitive and physical training by a robot. This study will help to further refine SAR for the specific needs of people with dementia living at home.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/14927

To examine the expectations of informal caregivers, nurses, and dementia trainers regarding the support of (physical and psychosocial) human needs by humanoid social assistive robots (SARs) in deme...