Capability Building and Learning Interventions

For a 92-year-old, 'Capability Building and Learning Interventions' critically focuses on maintaining cognitive function, adapting to daily living challenges, and fostering continuous engagement. The selected primary items, a premium BrainHQ subscription coupled with an iPad Mini, offer the best-in-class approach globally for this demographic, adhering to core principles:

Expert Principles for a 92-year-old:

1. Cognitive Maintenance and Adaptive Learning: Tools must support neuroplasticity, memory recall, and the ability to adapt to new information or strategies for daily living.
2. Engagement and Social Connection: Learning is enhanced by interaction and purpose. Tools should facilitate intellectual stimulation and connections.
3. Accessibility, Usability, and Ergonomics: Tools must be intuitive, easy to handle, and accommodate potential age-related physical changes (vision, dexterity).

Justification for BrainHQ + iPad Mini:

• BrainHQ (Principle 1 & 2): This scientifically-backed online cognitive training program is designed to improve brain speed, attention, memory, people skills, navigation, and intelligence. Its exercises are adaptive, adjusting difficulty to the user's performance, ensuring optimal challenge without frustration. This directly addresses cognitive maintenance and adaptive learning by providing structured, targeted 'brain workouts.' The gamified approach helps maintain engagement, and consistent use is supported by scientific evidence for cognitive benefits in older adults.
• iPad Mini (Principle 3): The iPad Mini is selected as the ideal hardware due to its compact size, lightweight design, and intuitive touch interface, making it easier for a 92-year-old to hold and interact with compared to larger tablets. Its Retina display provides excellent visual clarity, and Apple's robust accessibility features (e.g., Guided Access, larger text, VoiceOver) can be customized to mitigate visual or dexterity challenges. It ensures BrainHQ runs smoothly and also opens avenues for other forms of learning, communication (video calls with family), and entertainment, fostering broader engagement.

Implementation Protocol for a 92-year-old:

1. Initial Setup and Customization: A family member or caregiver will perform the initial iPad setup, including creating the BrainHQ account and configuring accessibility settings (e.g., larger font, display zoom, reduced motion, enabling Siri for voice commands if desired). Ensure the iPad is fully charged and connected to Wi-Fi.
2. Introduction and Guided Practice (Weeks 1-2): Begin with short (10-15 minute) supervised BrainHQ sessions, 3-4 times per week. The caregiver should sit with the individual, demonstrating how to navigate the app and complete a few simple exercises. Focus on explaining the purpose of each exercise and celebrating small successes. Start with exercises that are less demanding visually or motorically.
3. Gradual Independence (Weeks 3-4): Encourage the individual to initiate sessions independently. Continue to provide gentle reminders and offer assistance as needed. Suggest a consistent time of day for 'brain training' to establish a routine.
4. Routine Integration and Diversification (Month 2 onwards): Integrate BrainHQ sessions into the individual's regular schedule. Explore different exercise categories within BrainHQ based on their preferences and areas where they show interest or benefit. Encourage the use of the iPad for other enriching activities like listening to audiobooks, watching documentaries, or video calls with loved ones to broaden the 'learning intervention' scope.
5. Ongoing Support and Feedback: Regularly check in on the individual's experience. Offer technical support, provide positive reinforcement, and adapt the usage schedule or exercise focus based on their feedback, energy levels, and any emerging needs. Emphasize that the goal is engagement and cognitive maintenance, not perfection.