A University of Minnesota Duluth professor is deploying humanoid robots to help dementia residents with care.
Dr. Arshia Khan has programmed robots to help people with their social, cognitive and emotional health. Monarch Healthcare has ordered two robots for all 8 facilities. The robots will deploy to facilities over the next few weeks.
Khan says two humanoid robots ---Pepper and Rosie--- will provide companion care for seniors.
“This can really change the world,” says Dr. Khan. “Change the way we care. Change the way we provide care for elderly. There’s so much robotics can do. It’s also combining verbal senses, facial senses, using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to care for elderly.”
One of the most important tasks for the new robots is to predict “sundowning”. Sundowning is a symptom of Alzheimer’s where patients become restless, possibly agitated or irritable, and can increase confusion which begins to worsen as daylight begins to fade—often just when tired caregivers need a break.
Dr. Khan says the robots can help identify when this is happening.
“Before it happens, we can intervene with help, so there is a notification that goes to the clinician saying patient X is having an episode soon,” explains Dr. Khan. “And then the robot can help prevent that episode from happening.”
The robots can tell jokes (including the dirty jokes), dance and lead exercise sessions.
Monarch Healthcare Vice President of Operations Dan Strittmater says the robots drew immediate interest from the residents.
“Families seem to be very supported, and families and residents are very interested,” says Strittmater. “So we were experimenting with Floor Care One that came down and sang Happy Birthday, and we talked about the jokes. And the family and residents say, ‘oh, can it tell dirty jokes’. We’re like, we’ll leave that to Dr. Khan.”
Dr. Khan will deploy more robots to Monarch nursing homes in the next few weeks.