In addition to personal reasons, Johannes Malm had several reasons for moving to Lund at the end of last year. He previously studied economics here and thus has a large circle of friends. After living six years in Lund and seven in Malmö, he is starting to feel a bit like a native of Skåne. Now a contract has been signed with the head of the research group, Steven Schmidt, which is valid until the end of the year.
– Then I will have to find a solution for the remaining time, but the plan is to stay here in Lund. Being able to take part in the research work that is going on within Applied Gerontology in Lund as motivating. And hopefully I will contribute with my experiences. It makes a big difference to belong to a research group on site, compared to digitally, says Johannes Malm, whose plan is to defend his thesis in the spring of 2027.
Since 2024, Malm has been affiliated with the national graduate school SWEAH, which is coordinated by Lund University and Professor Susanne Iwarsson.
– We first met at GSA, Tampa, USA, in 2023, where I made my poster presentation about Daily-BPSD, a digital tool that we adapt and evaluate to better monitor dementia symptoms.
There was great interest, even then the tool was noticed in the national media, long before there were any results. In the spring, his first scientific article on this particular subject will be published, as part of the thesis.
– I am well along in the data collection, it is almost complete, continues Johannes Malm.
The research project is based on the application Daily-BPSD, which he helped develop even before his research career in a startup project.
Daily records are made of the twelve most common symptoms
– It has been a strange journey, an economist at heart, self-taught in programming and I have been working on the app for ten years, says Johannes Malm.
Since 2021, he has adapted the application to be able to follow various symptoms in people with dementia in special housing.
– Daily registrations are made of the twelve most common symptoms, such as sleep difficulties, agitation, delusions and food disorders.
The app is being tested in 20 departments around the country, including in Eksjö, Gothenburg, Jönköping, Karlskrona and Vellinge. In total, Daily-BPSD is used by 500 staff caring for 200 people with dementia.
– They are motivated by receiving values directly. The staff receives feedback with statistics, how the symptoms change over time, with or without intervention. We hope to create a more objective and more reliable picture when evaluating symptoms, instead of going by gut feeling and diary entries that are often difficult to read changes from, and which are done in many places today.
Malm's further research will show whether the application will ultimately become a commercial product in disability care.
– Through my research, I hope to contribute to a better life for people with dementia, it feels very rewarding, concludes Johannes Malm.