In-Home Social Robots Design for Cognitive Stimulation Therapy in Dementia Care

Abstract

Individual cognitive stimulation therapy (iCST) is a non-pharmacological intervention for improving the cognition and quality of life of persons with dementia (PwDs); however, its effectiveness is limited by low adherence to delivery by their family members. In this work, we present the user-centered design and evaluation of a novel socially assistive robotic system to provide iCST therapy to PwDs in their homes for long-term use. We consulted with 16 dementia caregivers and professionals. Through these consultations, we gathered design guidelines and developed the prototype. The prototype was validated by testing it with three dementia professionals and five PwDs. The evaluation revealed PwDs enjoyed using the system and are willing to adopt its use over the long term. One shortcoming was the system's speech-to-text capabilities, where it frequently failed to understand the PwDs.