The EU-funded AI4HOPE project has launched two multinational pilot studies testing digital health and AI tools to support people living with dementia and their caregivers.
The pilots are being conducted across six clinical research centres in Ireland, Germany, the UK, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain – including a site in Cork.
Both studies launched recently and are recruiting people with mild to moderate dementia living at home or in residential care, provided they have adequate social support.
Each pilot aims to recruit 150 people living with dementia and up to 150 caregivers.
The first pilot would test a standardised symptom assessment toolkit alongside a digital platform providing self-directed interventions for common dementia symptoms.
Participants will use the platform for seven days, with the option to continue for up to 30 days.
The second pilot would evaluating an AI-powered chatbot designed to provide personalised dementia care support and help tailor advance care planning decisions to individual preferences.
Participants will initially use the chatbot for seven days, with the option to continue for up to 90 days.
AI4HOPE said the technology was being developed to help identify pain and other symptoms earlier and support a shift towards more proactive care for people with dementia.
The project is also looking at whether digital tools can reduce pressure on caregivers and help introduce supportive and palliative care earlier.
Findings from the pilots are expected to inform future randomised controlled trials and work on policy frameworks for wider use of digital health tools in dementia care.
AI4HOPE is funded by the European Union, with UK participation supported through UK Research and Innovation under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee.
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