NARI launches virtual assistant for dementia carers
Interactive, real-time support for dementia carers is now available through the e-DiVA platform developed by researchers from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The National Ageing Research Institute has launched a new digital platform to improve the lives of carers and people with dementia across Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The platform is culturally adapted, user-friendly and accessible and builds upon the World Health Organisation’s iSupport program – an evidence-based online resource for informal dementia care – by introducing a virtual assistant that can provide interactive support in real time.
The e-DiVA, which stands for empowering dementia carers with an iSupport virtual assistant, is a product of a five-year collaborative project between WHO, Alzheimer’s Disease International, Dementia Australia, Alzheimer’s New Zealand, Alzheimer Indonesia, the Vietnam Alzheimer Disease & Neurocognitive Disorders Association and Australian ethno-specific community groups including the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association, CO.AS.IT Italian Assistance Association and the Chinese Australian Services Society.
The e-DiVA tool was celebrated at a launch event last week chaired by NARI director Professor Tracy Comans. International teams and carer representatives were also in attendance, getting to experience live demonstrations of e-DiVA’s features, including its multilingual support, voice search capabilities, and personalised content tailored to carers’ needs.
The event featured discussions on the role of digital health in dementia care and future directions in dementia advocacy and policy in the Asia-Pacific facilitated by Associate Professor Tuan Nguyen – the e-DiVA project lead – and Dr Upasana Baruah and Ms Zara Page from the NARI team.
Since the development program began in 2021, it has grown to incorporate an iSupport online course with videos to provide caring skills and knowledge, a diary to assist with organisation, the opportunity to connect with other carers through a peer support tool, voice search options, recommended and tailored content for individual caring needs and a list of location-specific dementia care services available.
Associate Professor called the launch a significant milestone in dementia care innovation.
“The development of the e-DiVA virtual assistant is a transformative step toward the future of dementia care, offering an accessible, scalable, and culturally tailored solution to support carers globally,” Associate Professor Nguyen told Community Care Review.
“As dementia prevalence rises, many carers, especially those in low-resource settings or culturally and linguistically diverse communities, struggle with isolation, limited access to reliable information, and a lack of culturally appropriate support. E-DiVA addresses these challenges by delivering evidence-based content from the WHO’s iSupport program through a user-friendly, multilingual, and voice-enabled platform.
“It empowers carers with self-directed learning, enhances their resilience, and bridges critical gaps in information and care delivery. By integrating into national dementia strategies and community health systems, e-DiVA supports a shift toward person-centred, community-based care that is sustainable and responsive to the diverse needs of carers and people living with dementia.”
The project was jointly funded by the governments of the four countries involved via the NHMRC e-ASIA Joint Research Program.
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