MEMORY CARE Company: Legend Senior Living Program: Biofeedback Therapy With Paro Seal
A lifelike robotic baby harp seal called Paro is the centerpiece of a Legend Senior Living biofeedback program designed to enhance the functioning and quality of life for res- idents with dementia. Paro was designed specifically for therapeutic interaction in people with dementia. Interaction with the seal helps treat dementia-related symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and undesirable behaviors. Paro is a Food and Drug Administra-
tion-approved medical device that responds to human attention by moving its head and body, opening and closing its eyes, and mak- ing noises identical to a real baby harp seal. It can make eye contact, express emotions, and learn its name. The seal is equipped with multiple sensors for light, heat, touch, sound, and movement. It mirrors the per- sonality of its handler and will be low-key with timid people and more animated with vigorous handling. Moreover, Paro recognizes the voice of
each person who handles it, remembers their previous interactions, and responds accordingly. The progressive nature of the seal’s interaction with each resident helps to
“The most dramatic [response] was a resident who was nonverbal for about a decade. After participating in the study with the seal, the person began talking to the seal... and being verbal with the seal after not being verbal with humans for nine or ten years," said Tim Buchanan, Legend Senior Living chief executive officer.
manage many common symptoms observed in memory care and helps reduce the num- ber of psychoactive medications needed. Using the data from a three-month study conducted in five Legend communities, re- searchers found that intervention with the Paro seal provided a viable alternative to the use of medications for controlling symp- toms of anxiety in senior residents with de- mentia. Interaction with the seal three times a week for 20 minutes significantly reduced the need for these medications. It also sig- nificantly decreased the use of pain medi- cations while improving depression scores in the treatment group. Use of the seal has also been shown to increase serotonin in the brain, thereby assisting in better sleep for dementia patients. Other benefits of Paro may include improved oxygenation and improved cardiac status. Residents in the
treatment group improved and maintained improvements in galvanic skin response, pulse oximetry, and pulse-rate over time. Results of the study were so impressive
that Legend quickly adopted the new tech- nology in its communities. “We found such remarkable benefit from this that we’ve be- gun to implement these in all of our build- ings,” says Legend chief executive officer Tim Buchanan. “We’ve got one or two seals now in every state and are in the process of putting them in all of our memory care neighborhoods.” Resident response has been very positive.
“It’s remarkable,” Buchanan says. “The most dramatic [response] was a resident who was nonverbal for about a decade. Af- ter participating in the study with the seal, the person began talking to the seal and calling it ‘honey’ and ‘sweetie’ and being verbal with the seal after not being verbal with humans for nine or ten years.” The seal capitalizes on the concept of
neuroplasticity to help residents with neuro- degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s build new neural pathways and retain or re- gain function. The benefits of working with the seal go beyond the immediate results to impact other areas of the person’s life, in- cluding increasing their willingness to par- ticipate in activities and improving their re- lationships with other residents. “It benefits everything else that the resident is involved in every day. It’s just not this one therapy,” says Buchanan. “It’s the ripple effect of the neuroplasticity and its total outcome on the resident’s life.”
Paro, a robotic baby harp seal, is the centerpiece of Legend Senior Living's biofeedback therapy program.
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