Study Shows Dementia Care Training Tool Improves Confidence, Communication, and Clinical Readiness

From relationships with family and friends to the rhythms of everyday life, dementia can reshape how people connect with others and navigate the world.

Kaleidoscope XR’s study validating AI technology in dementia care shows improvements in communication, confidence and real-world readiness among care providers across Alberta.

In April 2025, Kaleidoscope XR received $300,000 from the Accelerating Innovations into Care (AICE) – Tech for Healthy Aging program, funded by Alberta Innovates and AGE-WELL, to integrate their artificial intelligence platforms into dementia training and care programs.

Kaleidoscope XR’s OSCEai Pro is a web platform that uses real-world scenarios, voice-to-voice interactions with AI patients, and immediate feedback to create a realistic, interactive clinical environment where care providers can practice and improve their skills.

Accessibility and real-world accuracy are two elements of the platform that were important to Kaleidoscope XR in designing the platform.

OSCEai Pro can be accessed using a computer, tablet, or a smart phone. Healthcare experts apply real-world knowledge to design case studies and AI patients that accurately represent scenarios care providers may encounter across healthcare settings, including dementia care, where communication, clinical reasoning, empathy, and de-escalation are especially important. Using speech recognition, trainees can role-play with AI patients and receive feedback in real-time, while also having their progress tracked and submitted to instructors for review.

David Ducasses, Chief Operating Officer of Kaleidoscope XR

“Frontline staff want to provide the best care possible, but they may not have been given the practical tools to do so, especially in dementia care,” says David Ducasses, Chief Operating Officer of Kaleidoscope XR. “With the right communication-based training, dementia care workers can navigate and de-escalate complex situations more effectively. When training is grounded in real-world scenarios, staff gain skills they can apply immediately.”

Over the past year, the platform has helped bridge gaps between people living with dementia and their care providers. Taylor Harink is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and front-line care provider at Bethany Care Society, who participated in the study. She found that OSCEai Pro gave her more insight into how patient interactions can play out, allowing her to reflect on her communication style and implement those changes in real-time.

“You can only do so much with reading a situation and thinking through how things might go,” says Harink. “With OSCEai Pro, it feels like you’re talking to a resident, having a real conversation, not talking to a computer. I feel like if I had this program when I was a student, I would have excelled way, way more. It feels real.”

The platform provides a safe environment for caregivers in training or in the workplace to practice and develop their communication and clinical reasoning skills, building confidence in dementia care best practices such as clinical communication, recognizing environmental and emotional triggers, and deescalation techniques.

Some highlights from the validation study include:

• Over 91% of students and 85% of long-term care staff agreed that OSCEai Pro was helpful for learning how to deal with clients with dementia whose behaviour is getting worse.
• Over 90% of students reported better understanding of how to respond to escalating behaviours.
• Participants also showed improvements in clinical soft skills, such as patient communication, empathy, active listening, and patient-centered approaches.
• Over 80% of long-term care staff agreed that the platform taught them simple ways to better manage patients living with dementia without using medications.

“As Canada’s technology and aging network, AGE-WELL is proud to have co-funded this important study, which highlights the value of Kaleidoscope XR’s training tool in supporting both caregivers and people living with dementia,” says Bridgette Murphy, CEO of AGE-WELL. “This is a clear example of how innovative technology can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. It is inspiring to see this tool already in use, and we look forward to working with Kaleidoscope XR to help expand its reach so that more Canadians can benefit.”

NorQuest College has incorporated the OSCEai Pro platform into their healthcare training programs, and Kaleidoscope XR is exploring future partnerships and applications in advanced education and healthcare. Their next goal is to dive deeper into their research, exploring how OSCEai Pro impacts staff behaviour, performance, and patient care.

The OSCEai Pro platform’s development and testing was supported by NorQuest College’s collaboration with health care providers and health care training programs.

The AICE program was launched in 2024 through a partnership between Alberta Innovates and AGE-WELL. AGE-WELL’s contribution was made possible by funding through the Government of Canada’s Strategic Science Fund (SSF), and through matching funds from private and public sector partners.