New "Alexa-Like" Virtual Assistant to Help Care for Alzheimer's Patients

On average, caregivers in the United States alone spend approximately 18 billion hours caring for those with Alzheimer's disease every year. Not only that, but these hours are unpaid. It could be a terrible burden, as they often need around-the-clock care to remember simple crucial tasks. For loved ones, this can also be extremely disheartening.

Many quit their jobs and put their lives on hold to care for their family members with Alzheimer's, as everything from washing hands to putting on a coat requires some sort of assistance. For many, it feels as if there is no break, and they miss out on many moments happening in their own lives.

Fortunately, researchers have decided to address this issue by turning to technology. While no cure seems to be foreseeable for the disease that takes people's independence and memory, breakthroughs like these may assist in making it more bearable. By creating a virtual assistant specifically targeted to the needs of those with Alzheimer's, researchers are beginning to give some independence back to those with the disease.

The Researchers

At the University of Waterloo, researchers came together to aid the plight of patients and caregivers alike. They took advantage of the artificial technology already available to them, simply gearing it towards Alzheimer's. The result was a virtual assistant called ACT@Home.

Jesse Hoey is the lead researcher on the team, and is a professor at the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science in Waterloo. The work of Hoey and his team is part of the AGE-WELL initiative, which is funded by the Canadian government. The initiative's purpose is to aid scientists attempting to develop technology that will assist in the aging process.

ACT@Home

The prototype is projected onto a screen as a virtual assistant, and it is able to use both artificial intelligence and psychological models. It is programmed to be able to assist with simple functions that are sometimes complicated for those with Alzheimer's, such as washing one's hands.

In this scenario, the assistant will appear and talk the person through how to wash their hands, being able to sense if there is confusion. The instructions they offer are simple and direct, such as turning on the water, putting their hands into the water, or using soap.

The prototype is personalized, unlike many other virtual assistants. It is able to track the mindset as well as the attitude of the patient when they speak to it, altering the prototype's response. The researchers are trying to increase the capacity for adaptation within the virtual assistant, to where the assistant's "personality" can change in response to how the person with Alzheimer's speaks to them.

Hoey explains the benefit of this approach, "The goal is to make these assistants customizable so they adapt to how the person feels about them. It could be an organically growing interaction or relationship." While this may initially feel jarring to many, it is a benefit for those with Alzheimer's to have someone who is always there for them.

The reason the program was designed this way was because Hoey took into account how caregivers felt about their treatment of those with Alzheimer's. By asking them their experiences, he was able to instill what was considered most important into the program. The families told him that there are many fluctuations in the attitudes and temperaments of those with Alzheimer's. Some days they may seem like the person you know and love, when the next they will almost seem unrecognizable. He wanted to develop the program to best be able to deal with these changes, needing the program to constantly adapt.

The resulting decision was that the program only "steps in" if they think the patient seems confused; otherwise, it will not interject. Using precise technology that can read facial cues, it will be then analyzed, and then the program would knows which emotions require a response, such as fear or befuddlement.

Hoey explains why he believes this approach is best, "that idea of being very passive, of stepping in only when it's necessary... it's one of the biggest things we learned from the caregivers. That feeling of dependence, it weakens their sense of who they are, and it can make them feel more powerless." Hoey believes that this sense of powerlessness can lead to depression and mental deterioration, which is why it's crucial to steer away from it.

This idea of providing verbal cues to enable people to help themselves instead of stepping in aids those with Alzheimer's to retain their sense of independence longer term.

However, it is not only the patient that Hoey is looking out for. He explains that caregivers are "often a spouse or family member, and their lives are severely impacted by the disease in the sense that they have to help them do everything. The primary goal is helping relieve that burden."

Coping

Monica Moreno is a director of care and support at the Alzheimer Association, and she definitely believes that this initiative is crucial for assisting families. However, she does mention that it's not as novel as it might seem. Many have been utilizing technology in the very early stages of Alzheimer's to assist in coping. Simple examples include using an iPhone or other smart phone to set reminders for medications or medical appointments.

Moreno says it is crucial that people "recognize that the technology that is available can be used in the early stage of the disease." She mentions this because she believes that programs where those with Alzheimer's are prompted would not work as well in the final stages of the disease, but needs to start early. She further explains, "we call those verbal cues that can replace caregiver. Again though, it's appropriate for someone in the middle stage of the disease."

She went on to say that it is absolutely necessary that Alzheimer's disease receive significant more attention and study in order for a cure to be found. Even if not a cure, ways to mitigate the worst symptoms would be of tremendous aid to both those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.

Unfortunately, those with Alzheimer's are left with no cure or effective treatment. The Alzheimer's Association projects that the number of people with the disease will go from the current number of around 5 million to nearing 14 million people by the year of 2050.

So, is there hope? Moreno thinks so. She hopes that more researchers will begin initiatives like ACT@Home and technology will continue to expand, resulting in aid for both patients and caregivers. It is crucial to have assistance when preparing for the difficult effects of Alzheimer's, and one of the best ways is to be prepared in the early stages. This is why the Alzheimer's Association is placing an emphasis on early diagnosis and proactive assistance.

Moreno further explains, "we're focusing on early detection and early diagnosis." They do so to enable people to have meaningful discussions and plans for the future.

So, what do you think? Could virtual assistants be part of a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease?

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