Voice Assistants to Deliver Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Persons Living with Dementia

Abstract

Dementia is a global public health concern, with approximately 55 million individuals worldwide currently living with it. Individual cognitive stimulation therapy (iCST) has been shown to improve quality of life for persons living with dementia (PLwDs). However, providing iCST at scale remains a serious challenge, specifically as it can add considerable burden on care partners. This project focuses on a voice assistant (VA) to support care partners in delivering iCST. We developed a VA prototype and conducted a qualitative study with care partners (N=5). Our preliminary findings show that using a VA to deliver iCST is feasible and acceptable. We have also identified design requirements for the VA to effectively provide iCST, including need for personalization reflecting dementia severity and individual interests, collaboration between care partners and PLwDs, and accessible interactions to minimize frustration and distress. These findings can inform the future design of inclusive and accessible VAs.

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