RemiAssist: A Therapist-Supporting System for Photo-Based Reminiscence Therapy in Dementia Care
2026-07-27 • Human-Computer Interaction
Human-Computer Interaction
AI summaryⓘ
The authors created RemiAssist, a tool that helps therapists work with people with dementia during photo-based reminiscence therapy. Their system uses a Memory Graph to organize important life events from photos and offers real-time tips to therapists during conversations. In a study, RemiAssist helped therapists plan sessions faster and have longer, more supportive talks with patients. The authors suggest this tool can make therapy more personalized and better at handling sensitive moments.
DementiaPhoto-based Reminiscence TherapyTherapist-in-the-loopMemory GraphContext-Aware GuidanceAI-assisted PlanningReal-time FacilitationTherapeutic ConversationPersonalized TherapyHuman-AI Interaction
Authors
Shuchang Xu, Minglong Tang, Junyan Mao, Xiaofu Jin, Wazeer Zulfikar, Yasith Samaradivakara, Jiayi Zhou, Huamin Qu, Yuling Sun, Pattie Maes
Abstract
Despite growing interest in applying AI to photo-based reminiscence therapy (PRT) for people with dementia (PwD), existing systems primarily focus on PwD-AI interaction and often overlook therapists' critical role in practical PRT delivery. We present RemiAssist, a system that supports therapist-in-the-loop PRT through AI-assisted planning and real-time facilitation. RemiAssist incorporates two core techniques: (1) a Memory Graph, which organizes key life events from a PwD's photo collection into a hierarchical graph to support theme-centered intervention planning; and (2) a Context-Aware Guiding Strategy, which provides real-time suggestions to help therapists guide reminiscence conversations and respond to sensitive situations. A field study with eight therapist-PwD dyads suggests that RemiAssist was associated with a 44% improvement in planning efficiency and a 54% increase in conversation duration, and provided timely support for handling sensitive situations. We highlight opportunities for AI systems to empower therapists and enable more personalized reminiscence therapy in dementia care.