Blog: AI in Dementia Care: Challenges and Opportunities - Toronto Workshop

Professor Ram Ramamoorthy, Dr. Babak Taati, and Dr. Andrea Iaboni co-organised a two-day workshop titled “AI in Dementia Care: Challenges and Opportunities”, held on 5–6 May at Toronto Rehab, Canada. This international event brought together researchers, scientists, therapists, and psychiatrists from the University of Edinburgh, the University of Toronto, Université de Montréal, and the University of Regina. The workshop marked a collaborative initiative between the Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC) at the University of Edinburgh and AGE-WELL at the University of Toronto, with a shared focus on advancing innovative technologies to support ageing populations—particularly those living with dementia.

Toronto Rehab, a fully operational hospital and renowned research institution, served as a fitting venue for the event. With a mission to enhance the lives of people affected by disability, illness, and ageing, its unique environment helped ground the discussion in real-world clinical contexts. The workshop featured presentations on active research projects and explored potential avenues for new collaborations.

The event opened with a keynote by Prof Ram Ramamoorthy, who introduced the goals and structure of ACRC, outlining the vision behind each of its work packages. His talk addressed the fundamental question: What kind of AI do we need to enable assistive autonomy? He highlighted applications in continuous monitoring of older adults, robotics in healthcare, and intelligent systems that support surgical procedures.

This was followed by a presentation from Prof Bob Fisher, Professor at the School of Informatics and Academic lead for ACRC’s WP6. He demonstrated the use of computer vision technologies for monitoring older adults’ eating behaviours and gait, with the aim of detecting early signs of deterioration. His session prompted thoughtful discussions around data ethics, privacy, and the importance of long-term field trials.

The morning session concluded with four talks from Toronto-based researchers. Dr. Andrea Sabo discussed gait analysis in dementia; Dr. Ali Abedi explored predictive modelling of responsive behaviours; Dr. Arlene Astell spoke about strategies for maintaining independence in individuals with dementia; and Lindsay Stern presented a posture-monitoring system aimed at preventing decubitus ulcers in bedridden patients.

In the afternoon, keynote presentations by Dr. Rosalie Wang, Amy Hwang, and Thomas Tannou turned attention to Alzheimer’s disease and the development of technologies that support functional independence. These were followed by a brainstorming session, which addressed opportunities for collaboration and funding. Participants discussed shared skillsets between ACRC and AGE-WELL, identified knowledge gaps, and explored joint funding prospects. A second session was planned for the following day, with a focus on data sharing and student exchanges.

Beyond the formal sessions, participants enjoyed a lunch social and a vibrant Middle Eastern–Mediterranean dinner, providing a relaxed space for informal networking and connection.

A key highlight of the day was the guided tour of KITE Labs, introduced by Dr. Taati, and a visit to the TRI Specialized Dementia Unit, hosted by Dr. Iaboni. The tour featured the HomeLab, a fully furnished domestic space that enables researchers to simulate home environments and assess assistive technologies in context; the CareLab, a realistic patient room used for research on hospital care; and the FallsLab, dedicated to studying gait, balance, and fall-prevention strategies. The tour concluded at the Specialized Dementia Unit, a 17-bed locked inpatient ward providing tailored assessment and treatment for individuals with complex dementia-related behaviours.

Day two began with a keynote by Dr. Thomas Hadjistavropoulos and Abhishek Moturu, who presented a novel system for assessing pain in dementia patients via facial expression analysis. This was followed by a talk from Dr. Longfei Chen (ACRC) on the use of camera-based systems for in-home monitoring of older adults. Subsequent presentations included the generation of a gait dataset (Vida Adeli), a talk by Sagnik Som, a presentation on spatio-temporal movement analysis for dementia (Zain Hasan), and a session on infection prevention and control in long-term care (Yasser Karam). Longfei received one of the Best Presentation Award of the workshop.

In the afternoon, Dr. Andrea Iaboni delivered the final keynote, which explored integrated monitoring solutions using wearables, camera-based systems, and location tracking to detect changes in gait and patterns of social interaction. The programme concluded with a powerful talk by caregiver Denise Schon, who offered her personal reflections on supporting parents with dementia. She shared candid views on the role of AI in care, raising critical issues around accessibility, cultural barriers, and the lived realities of family caregivers.

The two-day workshop was a rich and productive gathering that fostered deep knowledge exchange, sparked new collaborations, and opened doors for future research, student training, and international cooperation. Participants left energised and inspired to continue shaping the future of dementia care through thoughtful and ethical applications of AI.