# COMPASS: A Family-Centered, Culturally Responsive Conversational AI Assistant to Support ADRD Caregivers and Family Care Networks in Real-Time

> **NIH NIH R43** · BEAVER HEALTH, INC. · 2024 · $499,996

## Abstract

Project Summary
The majority of people living with dementia (PLWD) in the U.S. are cared for at home by family or friends
without formal training. The challenges of providing ADRD care, dealing with challenging ADRD behaviors,
and coordinating with the family care network causes significant mental, physical, and emotional burden for
caregivers, especially for minoritized ADRD caregivers who face additional adverse health outcomes and
cultural barriers in accessing support. Commercial solutions are not scalable for affordable use (i.e., remote
care with ADRD experts) or lack personalization and cultural responsiveness (i.e., mobile or web -based
caregiver apps with “generic” information). Support groups pose scheduling, geographic, and stigma barriers
and do not offer real-time expert feedback or evidence-based skills. Without 24/7 expert support, caregivers
are left to search through the Internet for “generic” solutions. There is a significant unmet need for culturally
relevant, accessible, and scalable personalized ADRD caregiving guidance and coordination support to
address the real-time needs of diverse ADRD caregivers, PLWD, and families. We are developing a family-
centered, conversational AI assistant called COMPASS to support ADRD caregivers in real-time with 1)
personalized, culturally relevant ADRD caregiving guidance and 2) assistive coordination within their family
care network. Our novel technology leverages advances in culturally responsive AI to understand diverse
caregiver queries and personalize responses and delivery to each caregiver and PLWD’s personal/cultural
context. A virtual avatar tailored to the caregiver’s preferences will be used to communicate guidance in areas
consistent with existing and validated multicomponent ADRD care interventions to assist with the daily
challenges of ADRD caregiving and communication within the family care network. With caregiver approval,
COMPASS can help share actionable information to family members in the network. In Phase 1, our 12-month
goals are to develop a prototype of COMPASS and test its initial usability/feasibility for racially and ethnically
diverse AD/ADRD family caregivers. By providing real-time support and building a care community, COMPASS
aligns with the NIA’s goals to improve access and adherence to evidence-based caregiving support while
reducing caregiver burden and enabling effective care for the PLWD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11008802
- **Project number:** 1R43AG087829-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BEAVER HEALTH, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Emily S. Wang
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $499,996
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-20 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11008802

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11008802, COMPASS: A Family-Centered, Culturally Responsive Conversational AI Assistant to Support ADRD Caregivers and Family Care Networks in Real-Time (1R43AG087829-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11008802. Licensed CC0.

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