Pain and Stress Detection and Relief in People With Dementia

The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of using the portable EEG headband and the headband-guided meditation practices for pain and stress relief in people with dementia in Hong Kong. Additionally, it explores the potential use of the headband as a biomarker for pain and stress in this target group.

This project is a Phase II clinical trial to access the feasibility and efficacy of incorporating portable EEG headband-guided meditation for alleviating pain and stress among people with early and moderate dementia in Hong Kong. Sixty dementia people will be recruited. Participants in the intervention group will wear the EEG headband and engage in 10-minute guided meditation sessions, while the control group will wear the EEG headband and undergo a 10-minute resting session. Efficacy will be evaluated using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and EEG signals associated with pain and stress. Immediate post-assessment focus group interviews will be conducted to explore caregiver's experiences with the use of portable EEG headbands in this study.