Preserving the self with artificial intelligence using VIPCare—a virtual interaction program for dementia caregivers

Introduction: Assistive technology is increasingly used to support the physical needs of differently abled persons but has yet to make inroads on support for cognitive or psychological issues. This gap is an opportunity to address another—the lack of contribution from theoretical social science that can provide insights into problems that cannot be seen. Using Affect Control Theory (ACT), the current project seeks to close that gap with an artificially intelligent application to improve interaction and affect for people with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). Using sociological theory, it models interactions with persons with ADRD based on self-sentiments, rather than cognitive memory, and informs a cellphone-based assistive tool called VIPCare for supporting caregivers. Methods: Staff focus groups and interviews with family members of persons with ADRD in a long-term residential care facility collected residents’ daily needs and personal histories. Using ACT’s evaluation, potency, and activity dimensions, researchers used these data to formulate a self-sentiment profile for each resident and programmed that profile into the VIPCare application. VIPCare used that profile to simulate affectively intelligent social interactions with each unique resident that reduce deflection from established sentiments and, thus, negative emotions. Results: We report on the data collection to design the application, develop self-sentiment profiles for the resident, and generate assistive technology that applies a sociological theory of affect to real world management of interaction, emotion, and mental health. Discussion: By reducing trial and error in learning to engage people with dementia, this tool has potential to smooth interaction and improve wellbeing for a population vulnerable to distress.