PARO therapy for elderly with cognitive decline or dementia with behavioural and psychological symptoms in a Hong Kong geriatric day hospital: a preliminary evaluation

Background and purpose: Robot-assisted therapy may reduce behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD), improve moods, and encourage social interaction and communication in patients with dementia. This study aimed to explore the extent of seal-robot PARO functions as a therapeutic tool in elderly with cognitive decline or dementia with BPSD. Methods: The PARO project involved 3 phases. Phase I was the development phase, in which standardised procedures and structured session outlines for PARO intervention were developed. Phase II was the implementation phase, in which patients with dementia and demonstrated mood disturbances and BPSD were recruited from a geriatric day hospital in the Shatin Hospital to interact with PARO individually or in group. Phase III was the evaluation phase, in which effect of PARO on BPSD/mood change in the elderly was evaluated using standardised outcome measures: neuropsychiatric inventory (CNPI), Cohen-Mansfield agitation inventory (CMAI), Cornell scale for depression in dementia (CSDD), and mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Zarit burden interview (ZBI) was used to evaluate the stress in carers of subjects. A face scale was used to self-rate the mood of subjects after intervention. Results: Four women and 5 men with a MMSE of 11 to 22 were recruited. There were decreased scores in CNPI, CMAI in subjects receiving individual intervention and decreased scores in CSDD and ZBI in both individual and group intervention subjects. A decrease in mean face scale score of subjects was also noted. Conclusion: Decrease in assessment scores indicated that PARO has potential effect in decreasing BPSD, improving mood in subjects and reducing caring burden in carers. Decrease in face scale score indicated improved mood in subjects. PARO therapy provides an alternative treatment for patients with dementia.