Meeting the Attachment Needs of Nursing Home Residents with Dementia

Evidence indicates that social robots can benefit individuals with dementia by improving mood, reducing loneliness, enhancing social engagement, and addressing behavioural symptoms. However, existing literature often overlooks concepts, models, and theories from dementia care, limiting our understanding of social robots' effectiveness. This study uniquely employs the concepts of attachment and engagement from the Validation Method, the Behavioural Staging Model, and POPFid theory to explore residents' responses to Paro and their interactions. Using an observational design, video footage of twelve residents during afternoon activities was captured. Six participated in the Paro robot activity intervention, while six engaged in usual activities, each receiving three facilitated sessions per week for seven weeks. A total of 320 video sessions were analysed to assess verbal and non-verbal behaviour, focusing on affect and engagement levels. Three main themes emerged: feeling safe and meaningfully engaged with others; feeling insecure and anxious when alone; and deriving comfort from familiar people and objects. The study found that Paro can serve as an attachment object and a suitable activity for some dementia residents, with success influenced by factors such as dementia stage, age, gender, and staff support. Reactions to Paro varied: some residents treated it as a real pet or baby, while others were indifferent or annoyed. Effective use of Paro is challenging without detailed instructions due to limited dementia education among care staff. Although female residents generally engaged more with Paro, it facilitated group conversations and social interaction, which are vital for psychological well-being and relationship development.