How can technological innovation help in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia? And, in particular, are there clinical studies that attest to its effectiveness? The answers, at the moment, are rather interlocutory. However, one of the most promising fields is that of Robot-Assisted Therapy (robotic assisted therapy) which makes use of so-called social humanoids. With his 13 thousand specimens all over the world, the most widely used is Nao (Softbank Robotics), which is mainly used to help students with disabilities such as autism, emotional and behavioral disorders. But also in retirement homes and in some hospitals. In Monza, Nao entered the Country Found, the Alzheimer village created by the La Meridiana social cooperative for people with mild to moderate stage dementia.
What is the Rediscovered Country
The Rediscovered Country, as it describes it Roberto Mauri, director of the cooperative, a real place he wants slow down cognitive impairment and minimize disabilities in daily life by offering the resident person the opportunity to continue to live a rich life adequate to his abilities, to his wishes and needs. The project with Nao, carried out in collaboration with the School of Robotics of Genoa and supported by the Bank of Italy, had a phase of sperfeeding between January and February. The robot was used by the operators in sessions of educational entertainment, games and cognitive support with two groups, different by type, of 15 guests in all.
Results that bode well
The first results are encouraging: We were very surprised there positive response from all residents the questionnaires we gave them, he says Paola Perfetti, a playwright who followed the experimentation together with Claudius Cavaleri, operational director of the cooperative, ea Marco Fumagalli, educator. Beautiful, nice, I love him: these were some comments from guests. But the most interesting aspect is that Nao stimulates their memory: after a week they remembered him, talked about him with relatives, asked me where he was, he adds. Before letting it go into action, the Meridiana operators wrote with Scuola Robotica dei scripts, or the scenarios that Nao proposes to residents drawing inspiration from exercises, games and activities they already know. Instead of educators, however, the robot interacting.
Also enlisted in support of individual therapy
a character who looks funny, not scary, funny. This allows you to create a serene and relaxed atmosphere. Nao allows you to establish a group atmosphere,sstimulates dialogue, questions, curiosity, emotions, also facilitates a closer relationship between operators and residents. sure the car and must remain the means; the subject the personhe adds. Once the experimental phase is over, the robot has been enlisted and will become another ally in the fight against the cognitive decline of the guests of the Rediscovered Country. A new life begins for him. We plan to use it not only on a group level but on an individual levelsays the playwright. Alzheimer’s villagers consider Nao to be one of the family. They show affection towards him and are protective: someone puts a hand behind his back for fear of it falling. And there are those, too, asked him to marry him.
April 28, 2021 (change April 28, 2021 | 18:26)
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