Ke Chen1, Vivian Wei-Qun Lou2, Kelvin Cheng-Kian Tan3, Man-Yi Wai4, Lai-Lok Chan4. 1. Sau Po Centre on Ageing, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. 2. Sau Po Centre on Ageing, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Social Work and Social Administration, the University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: wlou@hku.hk. 3. Social Work and Social Administration, the University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China. 4. Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council Ltd, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To test the effects of deploying a humanoid companion robot (Kabochan) in comparison with usual care for long-term care facilities' residents with dementia. DESIGN: A 2-arm, randomized controlled trial with ABAB withdrawal design, lasting 32 weeks. After an 8-week baseline period, Kabochan was introduced in a nonfacilitated, individual approach with experimental-group participants (n = 52) for 8 weeks, then removed for 8 weeks, and then reintroduced for another 8 weeks. The control group (n = 51) received the usual standardized care. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Seven long-term care facilities in Hong Kong. 103 residents (76% women, 87.2 ± 7.4 years) with a clinical diagnosis of dementia. MEASURES: Outcome assessments occurred at 5 time points: baseline (week 1) and the end of each phase (weeks 8, 16, 24, and 32). Primary outcomes were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (symptom severity and caregiver distress subscales) and the Geriatric Depression Scale; secondary outcomes were measured by the Hong Kong Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5-minute Protocol, the Modified Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living, and the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's disease scale. RESULTS: A multivariate analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant group × time interaction for neuropsychiatric-related caregiver distress at week 16 (F = 6.72, P = .011), with a moderate effect size (ηp2 = 0.06). When Kabochan was removed in the withdrawal phase (weeks 17-24), the neuropsychiatric symptoms became more severe at week 24 for the intervention group (F = 4.68, P = .003), although the effect size was small to moderate (ηp2 = 0.04). No statistical between-group differences were found in other health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The Kabochan was potentially effective at reducing short-term neuropsychiatric symptoms and relevant caregiver distress for residents with dementia. An individualized care plan with continuous monitoring is required to integrate the humanoid robot into routine dementia care.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: To test the effects of deploying a humanoid companion robot (Kabochan) in comparison with usual care for long-term care facilities' residents with dementia. DESIGN: A 2-arm, randomized controlled trial with ABAB withdrawal design, lasting 32 weeks. After an 8-week baseline period, Kabochan was introduced in a nonfacilitated, individual approach with experimental-group participants (n = 52) for 8 weeks, then removed for 8 weeks, and then reintroduced for another 8 weeks. The control group (n = 51) received the usual standardized care. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Seven long-term care facilities in Hong Kong. 103 residents (76% women, 87.2 ± 7.4 years) with a clinical diagnosis of dementia. MEASURES: Outcome assessments occurred at 5 time points: baseline (week 1) and the end of each phase (weeks 8, 16, 24, and 32). Primary outcomes were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire (symptom severity and caregiver distress subscales) and the Geriatric Depression Scale; secondary outcomes were measured by the Hong Kong Montreal Cognitive Assessment 5-minute Protocol, the Modified Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living, and the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's disease scale. RESULTS: A multivariate analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant group × time interaction for neuropsychiatric-related caregiver distress at week 16 (F = 6.72, P = .011), with a moderate effect size (ηp2 = 0.06). When Kabochan was removed in the withdrawal phase (weeks 17-24), the neuropsychiatric symptoms became more severe at week 24 for the intervention group (F = 4.68, P = .003), although the effect size was small to moderate (ηp2 = 0.04). No statistical between-group differences were found in other health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The Kabochan was potentially effective at reducing short-term neuropsychiatric symptoms and relevant caregiver distress for residents with dementia. An individualized care plan with continuous monitoring is required to integrate the humanoid robot into routine dementia care.
Authors: Zhaohui Su; Barry L Bentley; Dean McDonnell; Junaid Ahmad; Jiguang He; Feng Shi; Kazuaki Takeuchi; Ali Cheshmehzangi; Claudimar Pereira da Veiga Journal: J Med Internet Res Date: 2022-04-27 Impact factor: 7.076
Authors: Imane Guemghar; Paula Pires de Oliveira Padilha; Amal Abdel-Baki; Didier Jutras-Aswad; Jesseca Paquette; Marie-Pascale Pomey Journal: JMIR Ment Health Date: 2022-04-19
Authors: Tadeusz Mikolajczyk; Emilia Mikołajewska; Hayder F N Al-Shuka; Tomasz Malinowski; Adam Kłodowski; Danil Yurievich Pimenov; Tomasz Paczkowski; Fuwen Hu; Khaled Giasin; Dariusz Mikołajewski; Marek Macko Journal: Sensors (Basel) Date: 2022-06-12 Impact factor: 3.847