Companion robot for elderly residents with dementia: A cognitive behavioral analysis for neuropsychiatric symptoms Dementia care research (research projects; nonpharmacological) / Behavioral interventions

• Published in: Alzheimer's & dementia Vol. 16; no. S7
• Main Authors: Tsoi, Kelvin KF, Chan, Tak Kit, Cheung, Ruby SM, Wong, Yuk Sheung, WAI, Man Yi, Chan, Lai Kok, Tan, Kelvin, Lou, Vivian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2020
• ISSN: 1552-5260; 1552-5279
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.036453

Abstract Background Elderly with cognitive impairment may be benefit from interacting with companion toys. This study aims to investigate the daily living behavior of cognitive impaired elders interact with a five‐year‐old childlike companion robot under supervision of Occupational Therapist by a motion sensor installed. The active users of the robot were further evaluated for emotional and behavioral symptoms. Method Subjects with cognitive impairment were recruited from elderly residential care homes in Hong Kong. Each participant was assigned with the robot for eight weeks. The motion sensor captured the time and duration of interaction between the robot and the participants. The activity time was set between 7:00 am and 9:00 pm of each day. Participants were classified into active and non‐active users according to the days of interacting the robots. The time length of interacting was summarized by hours. Participants were also interviewed with questionnaires of Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), and Geriatric Depressive Scale (GDS) before and after using robots. Result Forty‐eight participants with cognitive impairment were recruited from seven residential care homes, but finally only twenty‐eight participants were completed the data collection. Majority of the participants were female (82%) and aged over 80 years old(86%). There are active (57%) and non‐active (43%) groups were defined. Eleven (39%) were the long‐term active users whose had interaction until the end of the study. The interaction peak hours were at around 11:00 am and the period from 3:00 to 4:00pm. The findings showed that there is significant improvement on neuropsychiatric symptoms. (Mean change (SD) of NPI‐Behaviour and NPI‐Distress = ‐2.39 (3.56), p<0.01 and ‐2.50 (5.00), p=0.013), no significant improvement on daily living activities or depressive symptom. Conclusion The findings of this study confirmed that elderly residents with cognitive impairment can obtain benefits from the use of companion robots and relived from neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, almost half of the participants were inactive users which limited our analysis. Further study with a larger number of participant and more sophisticated research design is recommended.