Use of Socially Assistive Robots for Long Term Care Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment and Apathy

Vanderbilt University

Status and phase: Enrolling; Phase 2; Phase 1

Conditions: Alzheimer Disease

Treatments: Behavioral: Socially Assistive Robot Activity

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05178992

R01AG062685 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

210386

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this study is to demonstrate the impact of a socially assistive robot system on reducing apathy among cognitively impaired older adults residing in long term care facilities. Earlier phases of this project demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the robotic system. First, investigators will improve the social robotic interaction architecture through additional software development, enhance its versatility, and make it easy for non-experts to run. Second, 188 participants will be randomized to either usual activity programs at the long term care facility, or the usual activity programs plus the robotic activities. Researchers will examine the effect on apathy and also plan on examining underlying individual and facility factors that influence the impact of the robotic activities.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Residing >3 months in long term care facility
• Evidence of mild cognitive impairment (SAGE score 15-16), mild dementia (SAGE score <15, AD8<2, DSRD<19), or moderate dementia (SAGE <15, AD8>1, DSRD 19-36)
• Symptoms of apathy (Score 30+ on AES-C)

Exclusion criteria

• Severe cognitive impairment
• Physically unable to participate
• Unable to provide assent
• Uncorrected vision or hearing
• Never spoke English
• Unable to sit comfortably in chair
• Acutely ill, terminally ill or unresponsive
• Unable to be moved to activity location
• Aggressive or combative

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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200 participants in 2 patient groups

Socially Assistive Robot Activity

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will attend two sessions per week and interact with the robot. Four weeks with a humanoid robot and four weeks with a dog robot. Participants can continue to join other activities held within the facility.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Socially Assistive Robot Activity

Usual Activity Program

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will attend at least two sessions per week at activities held within the facility. They will not be exposed to the robot activities.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Socially Assistive Robot Activity