In order to learn more about the need for, the possibilities of use of and the effects of robotic telepresence systems, persons with dementia will be observed in the home environment during the field phase and relatives of the informal and formal networks will be interviewed. As far as possible, the respective person with dementia will also be interviewed.

• First of all, a telepresence network is installed with caring relatives and in joint consultation with relatives/employees, e.g. of the social care unit, family doctor, etc. (formal network actors). For this purpose, the current living situation of a person with dementia under consideration is agreed upon with all parties involved, which needs there are, and which requirements are associated with this for a telepresence system. Essential medical, nursing, organisational, scientific, economic psychological and ideological information is gathered. The aim is to gain insights into which of the available telepresence systems can be used where and how. Possible interventions will be presented, discussed and recorded in a case discussion with the social network. A maximum of 24 persons with dementia and their individual actors from their individual networks will be included in the study.
• Before a telepresence robot is used in the home environment, it is technically prepared for this use. Here, the person with dementia can get to know the system and insights can be gained into whether they accept it. The robotic interventions (anchored in the assistance plan) are offered for about 3 months. A research associate from Fulda University of Applied Sciences who is experienced in care and research with persons with dementia as well as a research associate from the robotics department of Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences offer home visits during this time. The nursing researcher observes the interaction between the person with dementia and the telepresence robot through participant observation in the home environment. The controlling "other side", i.e. the person who is not physically present, is also observed. If possible, part of the observations will be made by means of video recordings; the aim here is to specifically observe individual previously observed and recurring situations.
• The observation, questioning and/or video recording of a person with dementia is only carried out after prior consultation (declaration of consent) with the person - as far as still possible - or with their relatives (authorised representatives/legal representatives).
• Based on the observations and the knowledge gained up to that point, interviews are conducted with the respective individual actors involved in the network.
• Two group discussions (focus groups) are planned per region with the caring relatives and the formal network actors, which will be moderated by the research assistants.

As a research group, we are aware that people's ability to self-determine is only partial or even non-existent, depending on the stage of their dementia. All the more reason for us to take special care to protect the personal rights of people who are only able to give consent to a limited extent. If a person with dementia or a relative expresses uncertainty or discomfort due to the observation situation, it will be stopped immediately.

In principle, however, the study is designed in such a way that violations of personal rights or risks for all participants in the study are not to be expected.