Digital Health Company RetroBrain R&D Announces Training Programs on Game Console memoreBox Successfully Evaluated and Now Ready for Nationwide Roll-Out in Germany

• memore aims to strengthen the cognitive and physical performance of users.
• Statutory Health insurance BARMER and RetroBrain R&D evaluated the therapeutic computer-based training program memoreBox in more than 100 care facilities in Germany.
• As a result, 87 percent of the participating seniors would recommend the memoreBox and around 80 percent of the caregivers stated that the memoreBox relieved or supported them in their work to some extent or even significantly.
• memore is now eligible for reimbursement and interested care facilities in Germany can apply for funding to any statutory care insurance fund under the care prevention act.

87 percent of the participating seniors and 80 percent of the staff involved would recommend the use of digital health company RetroBrain R&D’s memoreBox. This is the result of a scientific evaluation carried out by RetroBrain R&D together with BARMER in more than 100 care facilities in Germany. The evaluation focused on the relationship prevention and usability according to §5 SGB XI.

Adalbert Pakura (COO) is extremely satisfied: "Our hard work over the past years is paying off. We are very pleased that partial and full inpatient care facilities all over Germany can now use memore in the context of prevention projects. Thanks to the proven effectiveness and the transfer to standard care, our digital health trainings can now be funded by all statutory long-term care insurance funds using funds from the Prevention Act."

The digital health company RetroBrain R&D, together with BARMER, carried out a nationwide evaluation in more than 100 care facilities between May 2019 and December 2020. The central focus was the use of the game console "memoreBox ", developed by RetroBrain R&D since 2014, for seniors as a therapeutic computer-based training program based on §5 SGB XI (Prevention Act). With its diverse game program, the console aims to strengthen the cognitive and physical performance of the users. The evaluation was carried out in the nationwide context of inpatient care.

Dr. Christian Goergen (CEO) is already looking forward: "The successful completion of the nationwide rollout heralds a new chapter for RetroBrain. Already, more than 200 memoreBoxes are in use throughout Germany. Thanks to the possibilities for cost coverage that have now arisen, we can systematically meet the high demand from care facilities and their providers for prevention projects in cooperation with the statutory care insurance funds. We are confident that we will be able to make a contribution to prevention and health promotion with our technology in over 500 care facilities by the end of the year."

Results of the first evaluation confirmed
The results of a first evaluation (2016-2018) were confirmed in the nationwide rollout with a total of 906 participants (641 female, 265 male). The participants rated the six examined game modules of the memoreBox with an average grade of 2. With an average grade of 2, the nursing staff and caregivers in the participating facilities were also very satisfied with the memoreBox. 87 percent of the participating seniors and 80 percent of the involved staff would recommend the memoreBox to others. As a result of the nationwide rollout, three main results were found: (1) The physical and cognitive performance of the seniors was strengthened. (2) There were significant improvements in the ability to care for themselves and to carry out general activities independently. (3) The majority of participants reported that memoreBox motivated them to interact with others and promoted a sense of well-being. The trainings could be integrated well into the routine of the facilities, which was also confirmed by the experts.

Manouchehr Shamsrizi, founder comments: "We founded RetroBrain with the vision of helping people in need of care all over Germany to achieve a better quality of life and participation through therapeutic video games, and at the same time to support a self-determined, active, inclusive view of people in the health and care system. Thanks to an equally visionary partnership between health insurance and social entrepreneurship, we are now much closer to achieving this goal. Our thanks go to the dedicated supporters at BARMER and our numerous committed partner organizations from practice and science."

Scientific support of the evaluation by the Humboldt University Berlin, the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences and the AG Alter & Technik of the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
The first evaluation - between May 2016 and April 2018 - was conducted under the scientific supervision of the Humboldt University Berlin. The results at that time showed that the memoreBox game modules strengthened the participants' mental performance, their stability and gait, as well as their motor skills, endurance and coordination. Furthermore, positive effects on health-related quality of life could be shown. Through the use of therapeutic computer-based health training, the social integration, interaction and communication of all participants are positively influenced. The recently completed follow-up evaluation with nationwide rollout was accompanied by the Humboldt University of Berlin as well as the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences and the AG Alter & Technik of the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The aim here was to confirm the results of the first evaluation. In addition, the focus was placed even more strongly on relationship prevention in order to promote sustainable structures in the care facilities. "We are pleased that we were able to scientifically accompany the study of the memoreBox therapeutic training programs in the nationwide rollout as well. The positive results show that the use of such digital tools in care practice can be an important element in increasing the quality of life for seniors". explains Prof. Dr. Luzi Beyer from the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences.

Project partner BARMER endorses the generalized use in standard care (“Regelversorgung”)
“There is enormous potential for digital solutions in elderly care. In addition to the therapeutic benefits, they should above all be easy to use and have a positive impact on the quality of life of those in need of care” says BARMER Project Manager Andrea Jakob-Pannier.