Social robots in care for older adults: a non-pharmacological option for the improvement of mental functioning?

Abstract

Introduction With the rapid ageing of societies in Europe and worldwide, the issues of social functioning and mental well-being of older adults gain importance and call for effective care solutions. Among the non-pharmacological options, modern technologies are a promising direction. The use of humanoid social robots, at least in selected areas of care for community-dwelling older people, is one of the possibilities to cope with both their mental problems and the increasing shortage of qualified caregivers. Objectives We thus investigated which prospective areas of care are scored best by older subjects and their professional caregivers. Methods Opinions of older people (60+; no severe cognitive impairment), living in the community, and their professional caregivers about a robot in care for older adults were collected using the mixed-methodology Users’ Needs, Requirements and Abilities Questionnaire (UNRAQ), after a 90-150 minute interaction with the TIAGo robot (PAL Robotics, Spain). Results The robot as a companion of an older person was scored better by older adults than caregivers (p<0.01). Similar results were obtained for the statements The robot could decrease the sense of loneliness and improve the mood of the elderly person (p<0.01), The robot should detect the owner’s mood (p<0.05), and The robot should accompany the owner in everyday activities (p<0.01). Conclusions Our results, reflecting the opinions and preferences of various stakeholders, indicate a high general acceptance of a robot in care for older people. The indication of best-scored areas provides clues for the robot’s designers as well as those involved in the implementation of robotic solutions in care and their introduction into the lives of older adults. Disclosure of Interest None Declared