Robot Therapy: the Future of Elder Care?

This might seem odd to many people, but robots could soon provide comfort to our elderly. Enter Paro, the downy, harp seal look-alike, who is also a commercially-available therapeutic robot.

While Paro and similar robots are somewhat of an unknown option for elder care in North America, therapeutic robots have been catching on in other countries over the past few years. Over 1,500 Paro robots have been sold throughout the world, and competitors are emerging.

Similar to pet therapy?

Owning a pet, or even just exposure to a friendly pet, has long been shown to significantly improve life for many elderly people. For example, a 2003 study is one of many finding that people with dementia experienced less agitated behavior and an increase in sociability after spending time with therapy dogs.

Most American cities now have services that offer "animal-assisted therapy" to elder care facilities. However, it is not always acceptable for hospitals and other sterile environments to allow animals inside, the benefits of pet therapy notwithstanding.

Robot therapy is big in Japan

Two Japanese researchers have recently published a report on robot therapy for the elderly, Japan being where the majority Paro robots have been put to use. The authors' research indicate that therapeutic robots have much of the same effect as pet therapy.

They report that "[therapeutic] robots not only simply entertain but also render assistance, guide, provide therapy, educate, [and] enable communication." Often the robots can be used as simply a conversation topic for the caregiver and patient, offering a connecting point.

The road ahead for robots

The researchers note that cultural differences play a role in how the therapeutic robots may be received by patients, yet Paro has been shown to gain acceptance in a few trials outside of Japan.

It has yet to be seen if the robots, which can cost $6,000 each, catch on in North America, where people are currently much more inclined to accept therapeutic pets. Of course, as in pet therapy, their success will likely depend on the preference of the individual patient, and the ability of the caregiver.