India is home to more than 104 million adults older than 60 of which 53 million are women and 51 million are men. The data, released by the 2011 census, further revealed that 15 million elderly individuals live alone, increasing the prevalence of social isolation amongst the elderly. The United Nations Population Fund expects that as many 12.5% of India’s population will be 60 years or older by 2030, signifying an increasing need for caregivers and caregiving facilities in the near future. As harrowing a concern as this may be there might be a somewhat unusual solution of a technological nature: robots
Companion robots are not new by any means. Sophia, a social humanoid robot developed by Hong Kong-based firm Hanson Robotics, was first activated in April 2015. Over in the USA Kuri, who is made by Mayfield Robotics in Silicon Valley and was first shipped out in December 2017, can respond to your voice, recognize faces and even take videos of your family get-togethers. Plans to introduce companion robots for the elderly on a large scale to enhance the basic care experience are, however, still in the planning phases, but are set to revolutionize the entire global aged-care system.
What roles will elderly care robots play in day-to-day life? – Heightened care, support, and service
The primary role of elderly care robots is to take over automatable tasks from human caregivers, relieving the workload and enabling the caregiver to focus on more personalized aspects of care. Robots can be programmed to do a lot more than vacuum floors and fetch newspapers. They can aid the elderly in getting in and out of beds and chairs, dispense medication, take blood pressure readings and even fold laundry. The introduction of a fully-automated car is imminent thanks to companies such as Tesla and Waymo and will see the elderly being ferried to doctor’s appointments and shopping trips completely unaided.
The need for companionship
Social deprivation is rife amongst India’s elderly population, necessitating the need for companionship. Scientists have determined decades ago that owning a pet offers countless health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels and decreasing general feelings of loneliness. According to a study published in theJournal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine in 2013, a robotic pet can offer benefits very similar to that of a living animal to seniors, especially those living alone. On the other hand, robots such as Play-i’s Bo can play games, make basic conversation and can track a patient’s basic functions, reporting on any falls and severe discrepancies in vitals.
The purpose of senior care robots is not to replace human caregivers but rather to complement their efforts and decreasing their workload. Caregivers are more often than not overworked and underpaid and can do with any assistance coming their way. If a way can be found for humans and robots to work side by side to the benefit of the elderly, great progress can be made towards rendering affordable and effective senior care for everyone.
