Assistive robots can provide an entertaining form of relief to elderly individuals. Additionally, they can relieve caregivers’ burden by taking over some tasks from them.
Paro is a socially assistive robot designed to assist seniors. By asking questions and reminding them when it is time to take medications or contact family, Paro helps seniors focus on themselves while keeping everyone accountable.
1. Medications Reminder
Many seniors take multiple medications and supplements, and keeping track of the appropriate dosage can be challenging. Missing doses or accidentally double dosing could be dangerous as some medications contain harmful side effects when taken improperly.
Researchers have discovered that compensation strategies, reminder devices, and technology-mediated assistance can aid in increasing medication adherence. Such approaches might include daily routines, reminders, associations, simplification processes, external help tools, visual cues or medication lists as possible strategies.
Apps available on both iPhone and iPad can be programmed to remind people when it’s time to take their pills, monitor medications, and alert doctors if a patient fails to adhere to his/her prescribed dosage schedule.
2. Social Interaction
As with any technology, elderly adults will react differently to robot caregivers. Therefore, it is vital that any technological solution meets each user’s specific needs; whether that means providing companionship through companion robots, entertainment units that promote favorite hobbies or cognitive assistants that support daily tasks.
Research studies have reported that robotic companions can help ease loneliness, increase medication compliance and healthcare regimen adherence, as well as enhance quality of life for elderly users. A recent study even implemented a multi-criteria conceptual optimization model which considered optimal placement of robots and caregiving personnel according to utilization levels and stress levels based on mathematical integer programming.
3. Mobility
Mobility issues become an issue for elderly individuals due to various causes, most commonly arthritis, orthostatic hypotension and inner ear dysfunction. These health conditions can impede movement and lead to decreased quality of life for senior citizens.
Robotics technology offers many solutions in this context, such as the sit to stand lift which assists seniors transition from sitting to standing positions more safely and comfortably. Furthermore, robots may help remind patients about appointments or medication schedules.
Although seniors initially mistrust technology, seniors have shown increasing interest in socially assistive robots (SAR). Key elements to consider when considering acceptance for SARs include safety, reliability and privacy concerns; furthermore older adults have indicated an interest in personalized robots that provide only those functions needed by them.
4. Entertainment
An entertaining robot for elderly users is an effective tool for improving their quality of life, providing entertainment, assisting with daily activities, reminding of appointments or events or even aiding reminiscence therapy.
Social robots such as Pepper are designed to improve interaction with seniors, which is key in breaking through any resistance towards robotic care. Physical appearance also plays a crucial role; one study revealed that dementia patients were especially fond of using Paro as it reduced sundowner’s syndrome symptoms.
This multi-criteria conceptual optimization model, based on mathematical integer (binary) programming, can efficiently assign robot/caregiver pairings for elderly patients while optimizing utilization and stress levels among caregivers.
5. Communication
Multiple robotic systems have been created to assist older individuals with mobility. The robots can help them move around their homes more safely and can assist them when walking on different terrains and conditions; as well as grasp objects for daily use.
Emotional support and health monitoring services also aid independence by increasing independence and encouraging self-reliance. Some monitors even detect falls to alert caregivers of potential incidents.
Older adults may be wary of new technologies, but can overcome any initial uncertainties through an easy introduction phase and build trust in themselves as operators of the robot. M-CORAEUS provides one such example which prioritizes maximizing robot utilization while decreasing caregiver stress levels.
