Inclusion Criteria:  HAVING EARLY STAGE AD/ADRD AS ASSESSED BY THE SLUMS SCORE (BETWEEN 15-26), VERBAL SKILL TO INTERACT, BEING AVAILABLE FOR A PERIOD OF 8-10 WEEKS TO INTERACT WITH RYAN, HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS WEIGHING AT LEAST 110 POUNDS (FOR SAFE COLLECTION OF BLOOD SAMPLES).  Exclusion Criteria:  AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR DIAGNOSTICS OF SEVERE DEMENTIA OR MEMORY LOSS ACUTE PHYSICAL ILLNESS THAT IMPAIRS ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE DURING THE STUDY IF A PARTICIPANT'S MID-STUDY SLUMS SCORE IS LESS THAN 15 (INDICATING MORE SEVERE DEMENTIA) AND/OR THE PHQ-9 IS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 20, THE CUTOFF FOR SEVERE DEPRESSION, THE RESEARCHERS WILL REMOVE THE PARTICIPANT FROM THE STUDY IF A PERSON IS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH BLOOD DRAW, HE/SHE IS EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY.