The goal of this research project is to produce a comprehensive, one-stop, personal computer based Advisor for families and professional Caregivers of Alzheimer's and other demented Patients (ACAP). The proposed system comprises an expert system based diagnosis module for use by physicians and nurses in a medical setting, an information module featuring hypertext and multimedia techniques (optional) for use by family and professional caregivers in an array of medical and non-medical venues, and a care resource database for moderately computer literate caregivers of all types. ACAP is designed to provide a differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (for educational purposes), promote understanding of dementia related disease processes including current research trends, review the medical, custodial care, financial, legal and ethical issues encountered, and identify specific sources of local resource assistance. The system features a multi-disciplinary approach to information content, offers a flexible mechanism for probing deeper levels of information complexity, provides easy cross referencing, produces hardcopy on demand and emphasizes simplicity of use in accessing information.
