Therapeutic Effectiveness of PARO Companion Robot for Elderly With Mild Cognitive Impairment/Dementia in Elderly Residential Setting: A Quasi-experimental Study

Summary

The main trial is a 2-group quasi-experimental trial of comparing the outcome indicators between joining and not joining the 10-week personal assistive robot (PARO) training program in residents with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The study questions are as follows:

Primary study questions:

i. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms at week 10?

ii. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program reduce loneliness at week 10?

Secondary study questions:

iii. Can participation of PARO training session reduce pulse rate (as an indicator of stress and anxiety)?

iv. Can participation of PARO training session improve oxygen saturation (as an indicator of stress and anxiety)?

v. What are the participants' emotions and engagement in PARO training sessions?

Auxiliary study questions:

vi. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program reduce neuropsychiatric symptoms at week 14?

vii. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program reduce loneliness at week 14?

viii. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program improve quality of life at week 10?

ix. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program improve quality of life at week 14?

x. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program improve sleep quality at week 10?

xi. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program improve sleep quality at week 14?

xii. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program improve cognitive functioning at week 10?

xiii. Can participation of the 10-week PARO training program improve cognitive functioning at week 14?

xiv. What are the feelings, satisfaction, and acceptance of PARO of the participants and PARO facilitators?

Conditions

• Technology

Interventions

DEVICE

Experimental group intervention

Training session Facilitators will facilitate participants' interaction with PARO for 7 main activities, namely: (1) hugging PARO; (2) expressing emotions to PARO: (3) remembering PARO; (4) feeding PARO; (5) sleeping PARO; (6) bathing PARO; (7) decorating PARO. Free-play session In these sessions, every participant can interact with one PARO without instructions but are under the safety supervision of a PARO facilitator.

DEVICE

Control group intervention

Facilitators will facilitate participants' interaction with PARO for 7 main activities, namely: (1) hugging PARO; (2) expressing emotions to PARO: (3) remembering PARO; (4) feeding PARO; (5) sleeping PARO; (6) bathing PARO; (7) decorating PARO.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Haven of Hope Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• The Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund, Hong Kong

  collaborator OTHER

• The University of Hong Kong

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Yee Tak Cheung, PhD · The University of Hong Kong

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-06-20

Primary Completion

2022-09-09

Completion

2022-10-13

Countries

• Hong Kong

Study Locations