Indiana University
This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluates the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of VICA, an AI-powered virtual care assistant that delivers evidence-based education, symptom monitoring, and coaching to informal caregivers of people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Sixty caregiver-patient dyads will be randomized 1:1 to VICA or an attention-control education app (Dementia Guide Expert) for 3 months. The study will assess recruitment, VICA acceptance/usability, and engagement (Aim 1), and estimate effect sizes for reducing patient behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and caregiver distress (Aim 2).
VICA is a customized large-language-model-driven avatar that provides speech-to-speech and text conversational support grounded in the ABC (Aging Brain Care) collaborative dementia care model and the HABC-Monitor assessment. Informal caregivers randomized to VICA are encouraged to use the platform 3 times per week for approximately 20 minutes over 3 months; control participants use the Dementia Guide Expert education-only app on the same schedule. Outcomes include trial feasibility metrics (recruitment, retention, VICA acceptance via TAM-PEOU, usability via SUS, usage/engagement) and prelimina…
Inclusion Criteria: Patient * Age ≥ 65 years * Community-dwelling * Diagnosed with ADRD * Clinical notes indicate behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) Inclusion Criteria: Informal Caregiver * Age ≥ 21 years * Self-identified informal caregiver of a community-dwelling patient diagnosed with ADRD * Provides ≥ 10 hours/week of care to the patient with ADRD * Regular access to a computer and/or smart device with internet * English-literate; assessed as "adequate" on the Single Item Literacy Screener Exclusion Criteria: Patient * Life expectancy less than 6 months Exclusion…
An AI-powered avatar delivering conversational, speech-to-speech and text-based education, resource information, and symptom-monitoring support to informal caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), grounded in the ABC collaborative dementia care model via a retrieval-augmented generation system.
Access to Dementia Guide Expert, an existing free, education-only BPSD mobile app (ENGAGE-IL initiative, University of Illinois at Chicago), used on the same 3x/week, \~20 minute schedule for 3 months. No interactive coaching, assessment, or personalized response.
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