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Social robots in dementia care
A robotic seal has been shown to be a comfort to people with dementia .
When Paro the robotic seal was launched a few years ago , it generated widespread coverage . Now Griffith University has published research to show that even robotic animals can have significant benefits for those with dementia .
The research , published in The Journal of the American Medical Directors
Association , was led by professor Wendy
Moyle at Griffith ’ s Menzies Health Institute Queensland . The study looked at whether the introduction of the Japanesedeveloped robotic seal could benefit people with dementia through a reduction in anxiety .
Paro responds to touch , temperature and voice , and costs about $ 8500 . It is used in situations where live assistance animals aren ’ t suitable . Some 415 people with dementia living in facilities participated in the study , the largest ever conducted using social robots .
Over the course of 10 weeks , the participants were separated into three groups : one group having individual sessions with Paro , one group having time with a plush toy ( Paro with the robotic features switched off ), and one control group continuing their routine facility care as usual .
Moyle said : “ We found that residents in the Paro group were significantly more verbally and visually engaged with the Paro than those in the plush toy group , suggesting that the robotics were beneficial .”
However , she added the caveat that “ a robotic animal such as Paro should not be used to replace staff time , but rather be used during those inevitable periods when staff are otherwise preoccupied or when the individual may benefit from comfort and stimulation ”.
“ Knowing what works best , who with , and in what situations , will add to our understanding further of how Paro can be used in real clinical settings ,” she said . ■
App detects pain
The ePAT app in use .
A smartphone tool has analysed facial expressions and vocalisations to accurately measure pain in people with dementia .
An app that assesses pain in people with dementia is comparable to existing pain scales , new research has found .
The study , recently accepted for publication in The Journal of Alzheimer ’ s Disease , tested the validity and reliability of the electronic pain assessment tool ( ePAT ) in people with moderate to severe dementia .
Forty aged care residents older than 60 with moderate to severe dementia were recruited for the study , which assessed the psychometric properties of ePAT compared to the Abbey Pain
Scale . The research team recorded and analysed 353 paired pain assessments and found strong positive correlation between the two tools .
Pain is very common among people with dementia , but as the disease progresses they often lose their ability to communicate verbally , so the pain goes undetected , said co-author professor Jeff Hughes from Curtin University .
“ Being able to show the validity and reliability of an app used on a smartphone is an important step toward the adoption of more convenient technologies to derive accurate pain assessments ,” he said .
The app , developed by Curtin University researchers , uses cameras in smartphones and tablets to capture a brief video of an individual with dementia , which is analysed using facial recognition software to detect the presence of facial microexpressions that are indicative of the presence of pain . The tool then combines this information with other pain indicators , such as vocalisations , behaviours and movements , to generate a pain severity score .
The company behind the tool , ePAT Technologies , said it is intended to be used in the first instance to measure a person ’ s pain , and then further measurements can be used to monitor the effectiveness of the pain management provided to the person . ■
The ePAT app ’ s six domains of pain assessment calculate a pain severity score . Photos : Supplied
8 agedcareinsite . com . au