Effect of a robotic seal on the motor activity and sleep patterns of older people with dementia, as measured by wearable technology: A cluster-randomised controlled trial

Wendy Moyle; Cindy Jones; Jenny Murfield; Lukman Thalib; Elizabeth Beattie; David Shum; Siobhan O'Dwyer; M Cindy Mervin; Brian Draper

doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.01.007

Effect of a robotic seal on the motor activity and sleep patterns of older people with dementia, as measured by wearable technology: A cluster-randomised controlled trial

Maturitas. 2018 Apr:110:10-17. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.01.007. Epub 2018 Jan 13.

Authors

Wendy Moyle¹, Cindy Jones², Jenny Murfield³, Lukman Thalib⁴, Elizabeth Beattie⁵, David Shum⁶, Siobhan O'Dwyer⁷, M Cindy Mervin⁸, Brian Draper⁹

Affiliations

¹ Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: w.moyle@griffith.edu.au.
² Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: C.Jones@griffith.edu.au.
³ Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: j.murfield@griffith.edu.au.
⁴ Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar. Electronic address: Lthalib@qu.edu.qa.
⁵ School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: elizabeth.beattie@qut.edu.au.
⁶ Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; School of Applied Psychology, Mt Gravatt Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: d.shum@griffith.edu.au.
⁷ Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom. Electronic address: S.ODwyer@exeter.ac.uk.
⁸ Menzies Health Institute QLD, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Centre for Applied Health Economics, School of Medicine, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: c.mervin@griffith.edu.au.
⁹ School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: B.Draper@unsw.edu.au.

PMID: 29563027
DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.01.007

Abstract

Objectives: The robotic seal, PARO, has been used as an alternative to animal-assisted therapies with residents with dementia in long-term care, yet understanding of its efficacy is limited by a paucity of research. We explored the effects of PARO on motor activity and sleep patterns, as measured by a wearable triaxial accelerometer.

Study design: Cluster-randomised controlled trial, involving 28 facilities in Queensland, Australia. Nine facilities were randomised to the PARO group (individual, non-facilitated, 15-min sessions three afternoons per week for 10 weeks), 10 to a plush toy (PARO with robotic features disabled) and nine to usual care.

Main outcome measures: Changes in day- and nighttime motor activity and sleep after the 10-week intervention, as measured by SenseWear^® armbands, worn by participants continuously for 24 h at baseline, during two single intervention days in weeks 5 and 10 respectively, and post-intervention (week 15). Analyses followed intention-to-treat, using repeated-measures mixed-effects models.

Results: After 10 weeks, the PARO group showed a greater reduction in daytime step count than usual care (p = 0.023), and in nighttime step count (p = 0.028) and daytime physical activity (p = 0.026) compared with the plush toy group. At post-intervention, the PARO group showed a greater reduction in daytime step count than the plush toy group (p = 0.028), and at nighttime compared with both the plush toy group (p = 0.019) and the usual-care group (p = 0.046). The PARO group also had a greater reduction in nighttime physical activity than the usual-care group (p = 0.015).

Conclusions: PARO may have some effect on motor activity of older people with dementia in long-term care, but not on sleep patterns. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12614000508673).

Keywords: Accelerometers; Agitation; BPSD; Long-term care; PARO; Wearable technology.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Dementia*
Female
Humans
Long-Term Care
Male
Motor Activity*
Nursing Homes
Queensland
Robotics*
Single-Blind Method
Sleep*
Wearable Electronic Devices*