Can Robots, Apps, and Other Technologies Meet the Future Global Demands of Dementia?

Abstract

Lower- and low- to middle-income countries are predicted to experience the fastest growth in numbers of people living with dementia by 2050, although they have the least developed infrastructure for diagnosis and support. As there are currently no disease-modifying therapies for dementia and only modest symptomatic relief, all that is available for people who receive a diagnosis is care and support to live as well as possible. The potential of digital technologies, including robots, smart environments, and mobile devices, to address the rising challenges posed by dementia is increasingly being explored. This chapter summarizes the major developments in technology for supporting people to live with dementia and examines their relevance and potential for addressing the challenges faced by some of the world’s poorest countries. All technologies are hampered by a lack of research investment, but even so, mobile platforms offer the most potential for deployment at scale.