Robotic seal engages dementia patients in South Elgin

Gloria Wohlbedacht is a resident in the dementia unit of Tower Hill Healthcare Center in South Elgin. She grew up in Iowa and always loved animals. On Wednesday she had the chance to meet an animal she had never seen before: a white baby seal with big dark eyes and an aversion to getting his whiskers touched.

Pikatti is one of four PARO robots that Lisle-based Passages Hospice uses to help treat mostly Alzheimer's and dementia patients throughout the state.

The seal coos and wags its tail. It blinks its long-lashed eyes and turns its head. But it doesn't eat or shed or produce any waste. Its fur is made of special fibers that keep it sanitary. And since most people have never interacted with a seal, it doesn't bring any fears or bad memories along with it, like other animals might.

Wohlbedacht was one of the most enthusiastic residents when it came to welcoming the robotic seal, but about 20 other adults enjoyed the ersatz animal's company during his one-hour stay.

Ana Careaga, a nurse and activity aid in the dementia unit, said the adults were much more awake and alert than normal for the special visit.

"I knew they were going to love it," she said.

Pikatti uses advanced robotics technology and has the ability to learn and recognize individual voices. Corey Tague, a hospice educator and dementia specialist, trained the robot and conducts programs with it in hundreds of facilities across the state. Tague said such robots - which cost about $6,000 each - allows uncommunicative or aggressive patients to come out of their shells and forge a more personal connection.

In Tague's travels with Pikatti, patients who haven't spoken in months will talk and sing to the animal and bad-tempered adults will cuddle with him.

"You can't put a price tag on it," Tague said.

Passages Hospice was the only hospice in the country to incorporate PARO robots into its programming in August 2010, officials said. Since then the group has purchased three more baby seals as demand has increased. Every day Tague travels somewhere new to bring the healing power of Pikatti to dementia patients.

"It's just a great feeling to be able to provide that," Tague said.

Pikatti will return to Tower Hill next week and the week after to visit with people on the center's other floors.

Any groups interested in learning more about PARO robots or scheduling a visit should email Mindy Lam at mlam@passageshospice.com.