None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
To compare the effects of PARO and participation in a reading group on social engagement, communication and quality of life (QOL) in people living with moderate to severe dementia in a residential care setting. Furthermore, to examine the associations between changes in social engagement, communication and QOL resulting from PARO and changes in participants’ emotional state
Interventions
To compare the effects of PARO (a therapeutic, pet-type robot with the appearance of a baby harp seal) and participation in a reading group on social engagement, communication and QOL in people living with moderate to severe dementia in a residential care setting. Participants will be engaged in a structured group activity involving either PARO or a reading activity for 45 minutes, three times a week, for 5 weeks. This will be followed by 3 weeks of no activity (wash-out period), after which par
To compare the effects of PARO (a therapeutic, pet-type robot with the appearance of a baby harp seal) and participation in a reading group on social engagement, communication and QOL in people living with moderate to severe dementia in a residential care setting. Participants will be engaged in a structured group activity involving either PARO or a reading activity for 45 minutes, three times a week, for 5 weeks. This will be followed by 3 weeks of no activity (wash-out period), after which participants will ‘cross-over’ treatment groups and experience 5 weeks of the opposite activity (also three times a week for 45 minutes each time).
Sponsors
Griffith University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Aged 65 years or older; have a diagnosis of mid to late stage dementia, or meet the criteria for probable mid to late stage dementia of the Alzheimer’s type as per the DSM-IV; be identified by family or staff as socially isolated, depressed, or having low quality of life; be able to sit upright comfortably in chair / wheelchair so that they can see the PARO activity; be able to move both hands.
Exclusion criteria
Blind or severely deaf
Outcome results
None listed