Remote assistance for people with dementia at home using reminiscence systems and a schedule prompter

Abstract

We developed a system that remotely supports the daily lives of people with dementia at home using reminiscence video and a reminiscence conversation system with a schedule prompter to produce relaxation and prevent behavioural disturbances. Quality care at home for people with dementia puts a great burden on family caregivers. We applied our system to four individuals with dementia living at home. For two of the four, each system was more effective than watching TV and heeding the caregiver's scheduling instructions. For remote reminiscence conversation, one individual's psychological stability was maintained for three hours even after the conversation was finished. These results suggest that our reminiscence systems are very promising for reducing the stress of people with dementia at home and relieving the burden of family caregivers.