Exploring robot-led activities between people living with dementia and family care partners

Introduction While shared activities foster connection between people living with dementia (PLWD) and their care partners, emotional distress and daily caregiving responsibilities often make them difficult to initiate. This paper investigates the adaptation of a socially assistive robot, Ommie, to guide shared deep breathing and singing activities for these pairs. Methods We refined the robot’s behaviors through two interaction design sessions with people living with dementia and care partners, mediated by an occupational therapist. In a subsequent study with 17 pairs, participants engaged in deep breathing and singing activities with the robot as well as in-session semi-structured interviews, and we conducted post-hoc video analysis to explore their interactional dynamics. Results Participants reported the interactions as easy to follow, calming, and familiar. Post-hoc video analysis revealed patterns of intimacy and synchrony, including frequent physical touch, mutual gaze, and rhythmic coordination. We also observed instances of personal memory recall and a playful atmosphere, in which pairs often used humor as a coping mechanism after deviations from the robot’s instructions. Discussion From our observations, we discuss three design opportunity spaces: the robot as the focus for synchronization, as an instrument of joint play, and as a source of familiarity versus variety.