Development and Evaluation of an AI Chatbot for Improving Quality of Life and Reducing the Burden of Caregivers of People Living with Dementia in the Community

This project is part of a PhD thesis at Edith Cowan University that seeks to develop and evaluate a personalised artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to support informal caregivers of people living with dementia, with the primary aim of reducing caregiver burden and enhancing quality of life for those supporting people with dementia living in the community. 
 

Co-design is the preliminary phase prior to chatbot development, during which needs assessments will be conducted with key stakeholder groups. Qualitative data will be collected to inform the development and help shape the direction of an AI-based chatbot, which will be used and tested with caregivers in the later stage of the research. 

People who meet the following criteria may be eligible to participate:
• Adult caregivers aged ≥ 18. 
• Non-paid or informal caregivers such as family members (e.g., spouse or child of the person living with dementia), or a relative who actively provides part-time or full-time care to people living with dementia (primary or secondary caregiver).
• Caring for someone with dementia living in the community (e.g., at home or in a non-institutional setting) with a minimum of 6 months of experience.
• Able to communicate in English.

Participation involves one-on-one semi-structured interviews with 15 informal (family) caregivers of people living with dementia. Interviews will be conducted to gain in-depth insights into informal caregivers' lived experiences, challenges, coping strategies, and support needs using open-ended questions. 

Sessions will be conducted online or in-person, depending on participants' preferences, accessibility, and comfort. The semi-structured interview session will run for 30-45 minutes for each participant, with an additional brief follow-up chat for clarification for 10-15 minutes, if needed.