Approximately 32,000 Hawai‘i residents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as of 2020 and 20% of Hawai‘i’s residents serve as their caregivers. Most caregivers are like my ‘ohana and myself, family members who mālama our kūpuna out of a sense of duty and love. Anyone who has taken up this momentous task knows it is far from smooth sailing. Loss of independence and control over their physiological functions can cause our loved ones to become frustrated, angry and/or depressed. In turn, we, too, can become overwhelmed to see the people we looked up to our entire lives slowly become shadows of themselves.
The Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) recommends that caregivers encourage persons with dementia to talk openly about their lives. Not only will they be challenged to recall memories, but the process of remembering may help reinstall a sense of self. That type of cognitive stimulation has been shown to be beneficial for people diagnosed with AD and other forms of dementia.
According to a recent New York Times article, artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming AD patient care by providing tools that are meant to improve safety and offer personalized support. For example, researchers are testing AI chatbots as “digital companions.” A chatbot is a software program that analyzes complex data to process and simulate human speech. Chatbots integrated into the patient’s daily routine can remind the patient to take their daily medications. A chatbot can ask a patient to recall their favorite memory, start a conversation about their favorite hobby and play a favorite song to make your loved one more comfortable. Chatbots can also prompt a patient to remember a list of words that they will be asked to recall later. In addition, chatbots can produce puzzles and other brain-stimulating activities, which have all been shown to improve the mood of people diagnosed with AD.
While AI brings significant benefits in early detection and caregiver support, it also presents challenges regarding data privacy, potential for bias and the necessity of human oversight, because it is also possible for AI companions to encourage disruptive or destructive behaviors. In addition, research is limited to subjects who are in the early stages of AD, so its applicability once the condition progresses is unknown.
Researchers are also concerned that caretakers will become over-reliant on the technology. They may rely too heavily upon AI and neglect to provide their loved ones with human contact. Additionally, more research needs to be conducted to integrate AI into the spectrum of side-effects that may occur in AD, such as hallucinations.
AI is considered a valuable tool for AD patient care when used as a complement to rather than a replacement for human care. Check with a medical professional before making any decisions.
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