Use of Socially Assistive Robots for Long Term Care Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment and Apathy

Apathy Evaluation Scale - Clinician (AES-C) will be used to assess changes in composite apathy score from baseline, Week 4, and Week 8. The AES-C is a validated 18-item instrument used to assess cognitive, behavioral, emotional and other symptoms of apathy. Clinicians rate each item based on verbal and nonverbal information provided by the participant. Item scores range from 1 (not at all characteristic) to 4 (a lot characteristic). Total scores range from 18 to 72 where higher derived scores indicate greater apathy.

The TMT is a well established test of executive function and has two forms. TMT-A consists of a series of numbers in circles displayed randomly on a page; the person links the numbers in sequence. TMT-B consists of numbers (1 to 13) and letters (A to L) inside circles randomly placed on a page; the person alternates in connecting ascending numbers with ascending letters. TMT is scored by time in seconds to complete, up to 5 minutes. TMT-A normal time is 29 seconds and deficient score is >78 seconds. TMT-B average score is 75 seconds and deficient score > 273 seconds.

Verbal fluency tests require verbal ability and executive control processes; the Animal Naming test requires naming 15 animals in 1 minute; thus, less than 15 animals named in 1 minute is considered a deficient score.