Millions of older adults are living in isolation, with no one to care for them, and millions more depend on family, friends and other voluntary caregivers for their health and safety. Few older adults can afford to pay the exorbitant cost of home care workers who can help them remain in their community and avoid nursing home care. Robots are emerging as a resource that could permit more older adults to age in place.
Jennifer Kingson reports for Axios on the presence of many more robots in our lives. Better artificial intelligence and lower costs have enabled the creation of robots that can do what you might never have imagined. Soon they will be able to prepare food in a kitchen and tend bar. Already, robots can vacuum your home, mow your lawn, deliver your food and, more generally, assist older adults.
Robots can help improve the lives of older adults in a variety of ways. Older adults can enjoy the companionship of robot dogs, that don’t need to be walked or fed. Check out this one, for example, from Sony. Older adults can also rely on robots to get help for them if they fall.
This all said, robots are still pricey, and there’s little good information telling you which ones are worth the price tag and which are duds. So, you might want to hold off on that purchase for now. In the meantime, sensors are lower cost and can also be extremely helpful for older adults.
Sensors can perform vital functions to allow older adults to age in place, while feeling secure; they allow caregivers to check in remotely and ensure they are safe. Motion sensors will tell you how long someone is sleeping at night, whether someone has locked the front door and how frequently a person is getting food from the fridge or using the restroom. You can know when someone’s daily activities change significantly. A body sensor will allow you to know if someone you care for falls.
What’s in store down the road? Robot healthcare workers are on the horizon. They can do all kinds of housekeeping and provide social companionship, friendship! Yes, robots can be entertaining, telling jokes, singing and can have deep personal conversations.
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