Many people with dementia (PwD) face significant barriers in communicating their pain, limiting their access to effective care and treatment. Managing pain effectively – rather than as a trial-and-error approach – is nearly impossible without an accurate assessment of pain levels. Past research shows that VR can be instrumental in effective pain relief. However, the mechanism of action and specific effects of VR technologies on pain management in PwD remain largely unexplored and poorly understood, even though this fundamental knowledge and mechanistic insights are essential to accurately assess pain levels and experiences in patients who struggle in communicating it.

The PainAid project aims to address the critical challenge of pain assessment in people with dementia, who often face significant barriers in communicating discomfort due to cognitive decline. By pioneering the integration of advanced technologies, the project seeks to develop innovative, non-verbal pain assessment tools tailored for people with dementia.

These tools will leverage multimodal indicators, including behavioral and physiological data, to create an inclusive, bias-resistant framework for pain evaluation. The project’s multidisciplinary approach combines insights from psychology, human-computer interaction, and healthcare technology to advance state-of-the-art methodologies for dementia care. Through a co-creation process with caregivers, healthcare professionals, and people with dementia advocates, the project ensures the tool will be user-centered, practical, and scalable for clinical applications. This initiative also lays the groundwork for the ERC, which aims to create personalized, non-invasive interventions to alleviate pain, transforming traditional care paradigms.  The outcomes will include validated pain assessment models, predictive algorithms, and user-friendly technologies that enhance inclusivity and effectiveness in dementia care.

By addressing this unmet clinical need, the project promises to improve the quality of life for people with dementia, reduce caregiver burden, and advance personalized medicine. It positions itself as a transformative contribution to digital health innovation, aligning with the European Research Council’s objectives of fostering groundbreaking research with societal impact.

Contact Person:

Dr. Maria Matsangidou

Email: m.matsangidou@cyens.org.cy

MRG: HealthXR

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