Professors Jennifer Martindale-Adams and Linda Nichols from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Department of Preventive Medicine are part of a collaborative project to develop an AI-powered system to support caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia. The project, led by Xiaopeng Zhao from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has received a $401,090 grant from the National Institute on Aging.
The system, called RISE (Robot-based Information and Support to Enhance Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health), uses a humanoid social robot to provide evidence-based caregiver training information. Drs. Martindale-Adams and Nichols, co-directors of the UTHSC Caregiver Center and the VA’s national Caregiver Center, aim to offer personalized support to caregivers through this innovative solution. The system is equipped with tools from Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregivers Health (REACH) II, REACH Community, and REACH VA programs, providing information on managing behavioral concerns and caregiver stress and coping.
Developing AI-Powered Systems for Alzheimer’s Caregiving
The National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health has awarded a $401,090 grant to a collaborative project led by Xiaopeng Zhao, PhD, professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The project aims to develop an AI-powered system, known as RISE (Robot-based Information and Support to Enhance Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health), to support caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and related dementia.
Professors Jennifer Martindale-Adams, EdD, and Linda Nichols, PhD, from the Department of Preventive Medicine in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center are part of this collaborative project. They are also co-directors of the UTHSC Caregiver Center and the VA’s national Caregiver Center located at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center.
The RISE system will utilize a humanoid social robot to provide evidence-based caregiver training information and assist caregivers in managing behavioral concerns and caregiver stress and coping. The system is equipped with tools from Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregivers Health (REACH) II, REACH Community, and REACH VA programs. Dr. Nichols emphasized the importance of personalized support for caregivers, stating that “this concept with the AI, it only pulls from validated, good information we have developed and specific to what the caregiver is interested in.”
The Need for Innovative Solutions in Caregiving
Caregivers often face significant challenges in providing care for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Nichols highlighted the limitations of current support systems, stating that “sometimes caregivers need more, they need somebody to talk to, and they need somebody to give them information.” The RISE project aims to address these gaps by providing innovative solutions to support the caregiving community.
Dr. Martindale-Adams and Dr. Nichols envision a future where this system is available in clinicians’ offices, community centers, and other areas where caregivers could receive assistance when there is no one available to help them. They believe that this AI-powered system will provide more individualized support, as it will be able to pull relevant information based on the caregiver’s specific needs and concerns.
The Role of Risk Assessment in Personalized Care
The RISE system incorporates a risk assessment tool that has been used for over 30 years in the REACH program. This tool allows caregivers to answer questions, which are then used to recommend modules for review based on their specific needs and concerns. Dr. Martindale-Adams emphasized the importance of this personalized approach, stating that “more individualized is how it will be available, because they will have answered questions, then the AI will be able to pull what was most important, what they answered, and what they were concerned about.”
The Potential Impact of AI-Powered Systems in Caregiving
The RISE project has the potential to revolutionize caregiving by providing accessible and personalized support for caregivers. Dr. Martindale-Adams highlighted the benefits of this system, stating that “to be able to sit there by yourself, and have the robot who is very friendly, give you information, ask questions and answer your questions… I think that’s the exciting part.” This project demonstrates the potential of AI-powered systems to improve caregiving outcomes and enhance the quality of life for both caregivers and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.
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