By Carol Church, Writer, Family Album
Reviewed by Linda B. Bobroff, Ph.D., RD, LD/N, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, University of Florida, Nancy J. Gal, Family & Consumer Sciences Extension Agent IV at UF/IFAS Extension Marion County, and Nan C. Jensen, Family & Consumer Sciences Extension Agent IV at UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County
If I were to suggest that a robot might be able to provide assistance to an aging family member with dementia, you might feel skeptical, or even a little uneasy. To many, the idea of a robot taking on tasks that humans might otherwise do must sound more than a little disturbing. But what if this “robot” didn’t take on complex or important jobs, but simply provided some comfort or enjoyment? In fact, a robot like this has already been invented, and is in use with some patients.
An Alternative to Live Pets
The robot, which is designed in the form of an adorable, huggable furry baby seal, weighs about as much as a newborn baby. It can learn words, respond to a name, move and react to touch, and show emotions through its features. Researchers came up with the idea of robotic pets after observing that interactions with live animals can decrease loneliness, improve social interactions, and have other positive effects on older adults. Since live pets are difficult to safely and humanely care for and house in a long-term care facility, robots are a clean and quiet alternative.
What are the Benefits?
But do these cute and cuddly robots provide genuine benefits to patients living with dementia? Symptoms of dementia can be quite severe, and may include anxiety, depression, and anger, as well as behavioral issues like wandering and aggression. Research is still in the preliminary stage, but one small study recently conducted in Australia suggested some promise for positive outcomes.
In the experiment, 18 patients with dementia living in a long-term care facility interacted with the robot, code-named PARO, three afternoons per week over a period of five weeks. Sessions were 45 minutes long, and the older adults, who were 85 years old on average, were able to interact with, talk to, and cuddle the little seals with guidance from a staff member. Their enjoyment of these sessions and their quality of life, along with various other measures, were measured before and after the sessions. The results were compared to the results of a separate intervention, conducted with the same patients, which involved being read to and talking about the readings.
When patients spent time with PARO, they had higher quality of life scores and also experienced more pleasure than when they were in the reading group. This is encouraging for the use of the furry companions. However, wandering behavior occurred more often in the PARO group. Since the group size was quite small, these results are only preliminary and the researchers need to do larger experiments.
Other Applications
Interestingly, PAROs have also been used with displaced and traumatized survivors of natural disasters, including children. While there is much to be learned and considered about the possible role of robots in aiding people with issues like dementia or post-traumatic stress disorder, it seems that we may see more of these furry robots in healthcare facilities and homes in the future.
(Photo credit: Toy Seal (Paro) by aaron biggs. CC BY 2.0. Cropped.)
References:
AJDC Team. (2013). Robots in dementia care. Retrieved from http://journalofdementiacare.com/robots-in-dementia-care/
Hornyak, T. (2011). Robot seal PARO comforts Japan’s tsunami victims. Retrieved from http://www.cnet.com/news/robot-seal-paro-comforts-japan-tsunami-victims/
Moyle, W., et al. (2013). Exploring the effect of companion robots on emotional expression in older adults with dementia: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 39(5), 46-53. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.3928/00989134-20130313-03
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