Wendy Moyle1, Cindy Jones2, Jenny Murfield3, Lukman Thalib4, Elizabeth Beattie5, David Shum6, Siobhan O'Dwyer7, M Cindy Mervin8, Brian Draper9. 1. Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: w.moyle@griffith.edu.au. 2. Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: C.Jones@griffith.edu.au. 3. Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: j.murfield@griffith.edu.au. 4. Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar. Electronic address: Lthalib@qu.edu.qa. 5. School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: elizabeth.beattie@qut.edu.au. 6. Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Applied Psychology, Mt Gravatt Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: d.shum@griffith.edu.au. 7. Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom. Electronic address: S.ODwyer@exeter.ac.uk. 8. Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: c.mervin@griffith.edu.au. 9. School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: B.Draper@unsw.edu.au.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The robotic seal, PARO, has been used as an alternative to animal-assisted therapies with residents with dementia in long-term care, yet understanding of its efficacy is limited by a paucity of research. We explored the effects of PARO on motor activity and sleep patterns, as measured by a wearable triaxial accelerometer. STUDY DESIGN: Cluster-randomised controlled trial, involving 28 facilities in Queensland, Australia. Nine facilities were randomised to the PARO group (individual, non-facilitated, 15-min sessions three afternoons per week for 10 weeks), 10 to a plush toy (PARO with robotic features disabled) and nine to usual care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in day- and nighttime motor activity and sleep after the 10-week intervention, as measured by SenseWear® armbands, worn by participants continuously for 24 h at baseline, during two single intervention days in weeks 5 and 10 respectively, and post-intervention (week 15). Analyses followed intention-to-treat, using repeated-measures mixed-effects models. RESULTS: After 10 weeks, the PARO group showed a greater reduction in daytime step count than usual care (p = 0.023), and in nighttime step count (p = 0.028) and daytime physical activity (p = 0.026) compared with the plush toy group. At post-intervention, the PARO group showed a greater reduction in daytime step count than the plush toy group (p = 0.028), and at nighttime compared with both the plush toy group (p = 0.019) and the usual-care group (p = 0.046). The PARO group also had a greater reduction in nighttime physical activity than the usual-care group (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS:PARO may have some effect on motor activity of older people with dementia in long-term care, but not on sleep patterns. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12614000508673).
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: The robotic seal, PARO, has been used as an alternative to animal-assisted therapies with residents with dementia in long-term care, yet understanding of its efficacy is limited by a paucity of research. We explored the effects of PARO on motor activity and sleep patterns, as measured by a wearable triaxial accelerometer. STUDY DESIGN: Cluster-randomised controlled trial, involving 28 facilities in Queensland, Australia. Nine facilities were randomised to the PARO group (individual, non-facilitated, 15-min sessions three afternoons per week for 10 weeks), 10 to a plush toy (PARO with robotic features disabled) and nine to usual care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in day- and nighttime motor activity and sleep after the 10-week intervention, as measured by SenseWear® armbands, worn by participants continuously for 24 h at baseline, during two single intervention days in weeks 5 and 10 respectively, and post-intervention (week 15). Analyses followed intention-to-treat, using repeated-measures mixed-effects models. RESULTS: After 10 weeks, the PARO group showed a greater reduction in daytime step count than usual care (p = 0.023), and in nighttime step count (p = 0.028) and daytime physical activity (p = 0.026) compared with the plush toy group. At post-intervention, the PARO group showed a greater reduction in daytime step count than the plush toy group (p = 0.028), and at nighttime compared with both the plush toy group (p = 0.019) and the usual-care group (p = 0.046). The PARO group also had a greater reduction in nighttime physical activity than the usual-care group (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: PARO may have some effect on motor activity of older people with dementia in long-term care, but not on sleep patterns. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12614000508673).
Authors: Jumpei Mizuno; Daisuke Saito; Ken Sadohara; Misato Nihei; Shinichi Ohnaka; Jun Suzurikawa; Takenobu Inoue Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-03-03 Impact factor: 3.390