Residents at four Lutheran Services aged care communities in Queensland are participating in an artificial intelligence (AI) study aimed at enhancing the mealtime experiences of people living with dementia.
The project, titled “What Would You Like to Eat? Supporting Residents with Dementia to Participate in Mealtime Decisions,” is led by researchers from The University of Queensland and the University of Sunshine Coast (UniSC), in collaboration with Lutheran Services.
This innovative study employs text-to-AI images to create prompts that help spark food memories in aged care residents, enabling them to enjoy their meals as their dementia progresses.
Dr Tricia King, a lecturer in photography at UniSC, initiated the pilot program at Immanuel Gardens Aged Care in Buderim before expanding to other Lutheran Services sites in Caboolture, Woodridge, and Laidley.
“The early research is progressing well. I’ve been working with participants to understand their preferences for meal presentations and their favourite food memories. Together, we co-create images of meals using AI,” Dr King said.
“We discuss their reactions to images of food prepared according to Aged Care Standards, noting what appeals to them, their preferences for table settings, and other sensory details.”
Dr Tricia King
The results of this initial phase will be compiled over the coming months. In collaboration with UQ researchers, the team will develop AI-created images to be used as prompts for food choices, with the ultimate goal of creating a visual menu that aids communication and decision-making for residents.
The research team is also exploring the development of an app that uses AI-created images to assist residents as their communication abilities decrease, further enhancing their quality of life.
