COMPAs

COMPAs

Are you caring for an elderly person with a neurodegenerative disease or who has trouble communicating?

The Research Center at the University Institute of Geriatrics of Montreal (CRIUGM) presents the COMmunication Proche Aidant application, or COMPAs, a simple app with one main purpose: to aid communication between people with communication disorders following a stroke or dementia, and their caregivers or family members.

COMPAs is an idea by Dr. Ana Inés Ansaldo, a researcher and specialist in human communication neurosciences, in collaboration with speech therapist Michèle Masson-Trottie, and multimedia specialist Guy Banville. We thank all those who suffer of dementia and their caregivers, as well as the professionals and institutions who have contributed in the development of the software.

COMPAs, the new mobile App

PLATFORM FOR PHOTOS, VIDEOS, MUSIC AND MEMORIES

Each tool in the app allows the caregiver to navigate in personalized photo, musical or cinematographic spaces in a simple and spontaneous way. They can gather, on a secure platform, photos from different periods of the person's life, songs that have marked it and videos of key moments in their personal life, all with the aim of fostering communication. This functionality promotes positive exchanges and, as a result, helps to reduce feelings of isolation and to improve quality of life for people with communication disorders, as well as their caregiver’s.

COMMUNICATION TOOL FOR THE FAMILY OR CAREGIVER

At the end of each session, the caregiver can type down comments and share them with another family member, or a professional intervening with the person concerned. This sharing of information helps to better monitor the progress of the communication-impaired and to keep track of the most stimulating elements for communication. You can use it, for example, to identify the best time to communicate with the person presenting a dementia (in the morning, around dinner time, etc.)

USER-FRIENDLY DESIGN


This health tool can be used with people with acquired verbal communication disorders following a brain injury or head trauma, and people with dementia, even in advanced stages. The tablet version of the app offers great maneuverability, with an intuitive and ergonomic design. You can edit the content at any time, adding or deleting items based on the evolution of your loved one. Hands-on user guides and tutorials are available on YouTube to help you master the app in a snap.

COMPAS is the first app designed to promote communication between people with acquired neurological disorders and their family or caregiver. Its design is based on research that shows that memories with a significant and positive emotional weight can act as triggers for communication in people affected by stroke, or other brain disease, including Alzheimer's. Via its tools, the app helps you build a custom media space, so that cultural and individual characteristics of the recipient are taken account of - thereby favoring a person-centered communication focused on the person with a communication impairment. Person-centered communication is a key factor in improving the quality of life for people with dementia and the ones of their caregivers, whether at home or in an care facility.

Tutorials COMPAs

To help you use the app for the first time, we’ve created tutorials on how to perform a session (tutorial #1) and how to upload and organize your media (tutorials #2 and #3). Click on the images of each tutorial to access them.