Brain+ A/S in collaboration with Professor Rikke Gregersen from VIA University College in Aarhus, Denmark, has initiated a usability study to evaluate the new version of its digital Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) product, CST-Therapist Companion. Rikke Gregersen is the leading CST expert in Denmark and co-author of the Danish CST manual, while VIA University College is one of two institutions in Denmark certified to train new CST therapists. CST-Therapist Companion has been developed by Brain+ to support cost-effective delivery of CST to people with mild to moderate dementia.

CST is an evidence based non-pharmacological intervention which results in benefits in cognitive function and quality of life for people with mild to moderate dementia. CST is gaining recognition worldwide, and adoption of the therapy is growing, including in Denmark. The therapy is delivered in twice weekly sessions over a 7-week period to groups of 5-8 people with dementia and includes structured activities and exercises that stimulate new thinking and associations.

The value offerings of CST-Therapist Companion include cost-effective delivery of CST through time saved in preparation of sessions, high-quality content tailored to different group needs (such as age or level of cognitive deficit) for better patient engagement, and an easy-to-use structured way for therapists to deliver sessions based on CST to ensure improved outcomes. A version 1.0 of CST-Therapist Companion was first made commercially available in Denmark in November 2022, and since then, Brain+ has been working intensely on an upgrade of the product based on user feedback and market data to optimize its fit to user workflow and support quality of delivery. The usability study of CST-Therapist Companion will be conducted at care centers in 5 Danish municipalities, including Skanderborg, Fredericia, Silkeborg, Billund and Vejle.

Each center will run a full 14-session CST treatment (once or twice a week) to a group of patients with mild to moderate dementia, using CST-Therapist Companion as a tool to support session preparation and delivery. CST therapists participate in one interview after the delivery of the first session, providing detailed feedback on the usability of the product upon their first use. This is then followed by questionnaires that are completed after each session, that relate to the technical aspects as well as appropriateness of the content presented in CST-Therapist Companion for every single session.

The study is expected to conclude by mid-December, upon which all participating CST facilitators will complete a comprehensive post-study questionnaire focusing on various aspects of product usability, implementation, and overall content quality. Prior to the study, participating dementia coordinators from the five municipalities were offered CST education at VIA, and for the first time as a pilot project, the education also included training in the CST-Therapist Companion facilitated by members from Brain+. This is an important first milestone in a strategic goal of getting CST-Therapist Companion training integrated into CST education.

In early 2024, a similar approach is in preparation to be tried in Germany together with the leading German CST experts and educators.