The Economic Burden of Dementia Care Caring for individuals with dementia is not only emotionally taxing, but can also be financially overwhelming. In the United States, the annual cost of dementia care exceeds $345 billion, with a significant portion of that burden falling on family caregivers who often sacrifice their own careers, health, and financial stability. Many families face out-of- pocket expenses for in-home care, assisted living, and medical treatments—costs that can quickly become unsustainable. By integrating AI-driven CCRs, Nyamathi and her team’s research aims to one day reduce hospitalizations, prevent costly falls and alleviate caregiver burnout, which could ultimately lower healthcare expenditures and provide families with much-needed financial relief. “By empowering caregivers with innovative tools, we are not only improving patient outcomes but also making dementia care more financially sustainable,” Nyamathi explained. UCNI Provides Valuable Seed Funding UCNI played a pivotal role in launching this research, providing the seed funding needed to explore new computational models, engage students and faculty, and establish foundational research. “The UC Noyce funding has opened doors to major grant opportunities,” Nyamathi said. “We are now actively pursuing additional funding through NIH and other national programs to expand this research.” Beyond financial support, the UCNI has also fostered creating an interdisciplinary research team, allowing Nyamathi to engage more than 20 members consisting of 10 Ph.D. faculty, clinicians, international engineers, and students at multiple academic levels into the project.
The Future of AI in Dementia Care Looking ahead, Nyamathi’s team is focused on further refining their empathy-driven conversational AI models, which will be used in real-world patient care settings. By integrating large language models with behavioral forecasting, they aim to create a comprehensive AI system capable of truly understanding and responding to the needs of dementia patients. With ongoing advancements and the continued support of the UCNI, this research is paving the way for a future where AI and emotional intelligence work hand in hand to improve dementia care. “In the near future, we envision companion robots becoming an essential part of dementia care,” Nyamathi said. “By combining technology with empathy, we are not just building better AI—we are building a better quality of life for patients and caregivers alike.” ◆
Image courtesy of NaviGAIT
42 Impact Report 2023 - 24 | UC NI
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