Abstract Numerous studies have reported social robot applications for children including both typical and special education. Similar applications for the elderly are underplayed. However, children grow to adults and, ultimately, to elderly. This preliminary work, based on our expertise with social robot NAO in special education applications for children, reports an approach for engaging social robots for elderly with Alzheimer’s disease. In particular, a social robot, equipped with a variety of electronic sensors and supported by suitable mathematical models implemented in software, is engaged as a…