I like the idea of technology helping but I think we would be better off, at least in the near-term, training service dogs specifically to help people with dementia. They can remind us, keep us from getting lost, love us, protect us, comfort us, etc. They can also be trained to respond to audio signals that are transmitted to a special collar. For instance, if your loved one and the dog go for a walk, you can "call" the collar and give the dog a command to return home. Probably won't be inexpensive but at least the dog won't get stuck at the stairs or because of a throw rug like a robot would.
Has anyone seen the press conference for the Pepper robot? If you want to see an up-to-date robot in action, being "interviewed" and responding verbally and "emotionally", watch this conference at www.webcast.softbankmobile.co.jp/en/conference/20140605/index.html The interview part starts about minute 6.15: I find the symbolism at the beginning a little annoying but maybe it is Japanese. The original interview between Pepper and the company president, I think, is in Japanese but translated into slightly bumpy English.
This robot is about 4 ft high and looks like a highly simplified human being with really big eyes and expressive hands. I understand it is designed for caregiving and maybe the simplified look would be perfect for dementia patients. I could see it listening to the 200th repetition of Mom's favourite story cheerfully while the caregiver does other things. It is being sold for about $2000 and I am told that this is virtually giving it away, considering the sophistication of the electronics, so I guess the company is trying to get people to try it out. Anyway, it's a really intriguing press conference.
I think it is a fantastic idea.Especially for caregivers that have no support. Say you need to go get groceries, the robot could make sure your AD patient doesn't wander out the door,if they fall while you are gone can call for help and even keep a camera on them. Robots will never totally do everything, there is no human touch but would be incredibly useful and helping people keep independence,they could monitor so many things and be the "helper" so many caregivers need that are on their own because they are either only children or siblings won't help.Actually if programmed correctly they could interact in a good way with some elderly that are not coping with dementia.It could be their own little butler.
Very interesting article, with opposing and contrasting points of view.
While I wouldn't normally be in favor of an animated machine, if it can help someone suffering from the ravages and infirmities of old age and/or dementia, and do so safely, then I think it should be considered. It would at least be another technological method by which technology can help elders and not be focused so much on the young who are the primary purchasers of so many technogadgets.
And once again I disagree with Madlung, who I think has a rigid scientific and not even clinical or humane approach to the entire issue. Everytime I read something she's written, I think she really doesn't have a clear conception of the difficulties and challenges of elder care. She seems to be just to be a research scientist who doesn't have much human interaction herself. I certainly would never consider her as a candidate for our medical team.
How she can conclude that robot interaction would compound social isolation is unclear. At some point, someone with dementia may even believe that the robot is human. And regardless of personality changes, inability to recognize family, hostility and aggression, the robot will still be there, without becoming hurt, angry or hostile as we humans can easily become.
Notwithstanding that those quoted are only an infinitismal representation of the medical community, that discipline hasn't been one to embrace nonmedicine changes with open arms. How long has it taken for alternative medicine to be accepted as something other than quack treatment? How long has cancer treatment been focused on the slash and burn approach?
Potts at least recognizes both sides of the issue, but his statement that "technologies that allow remote monitoring to occur, such as medication systems that monitor med dosing, reminder systems for appointments, etc., can be very useful and reduce some of the anxieties of remote caregiving" to me reflects a very amateurish and simplistic approach to the complexities of caregiving.
I wonder how many Depends he's changed? I wonder how many times he's gotten up in the middle of the night to drive to an elder's home because he/she can't be reached and the possibility of a fall or worse is on the caregivier's mind? How many times has he come home exhausted and conflicted because of the physical stress of being chauffeur for all the medical appointments?
He does make a valid point about disconnection in today's society. But I question whether robotics in elder care would increase that, substitute for it, or actually enhance interpersonal reaction with the family by lessening some of the trauma the family undergoes.
I'll be interested to read what others write on this issue.
Dr. Potts is right -- When an elder is reminiscing, how is a robot ever going to smile and laugh and add its own memories, as would a loving caregiver who's heard the story many times before but is kind enough not to say so?
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Do Robots Have a Place in Elder Care?
This robot is about 4 ft high and looks like a highly simplified human being with really big eyes and expressive hands. I understand it is designed for caregiving and maybe the simplified look would be perfect for dementia patients. I could see it listening to the 200th repetition of Mom's favourite story cheerfully while the caregiver does other things. It is being sold for about $2000 and I am told that this is virtually giving it away, considering the sophistication of the electronics, so I guess the company is trying to get people to try it out. Anyway, it's a really intriguing press conference.
While I wouldn't normally be in favor of an animated machine, if it can help someone suffering from the ravages and infirmities of old age and/or dementia, and do so safely, then I think it should be considered. It would at least be another technological method by which technology can help elders and not be focused so much on the young who are the primary purchasers of so many technogadgets.
And once again I disagree with Madlung, who I think has a rigid scientific and not even clinical or humane approach to the entire issue. Everytime I read something she's written, I think she really doesn't have a clear conception of the difficulties and challenges of elder care. She seems to be just to be a research scientist who doesn't have much human interaction herself. I certainly would never consider her as a candidate for our medical team.
How she can conclude that robot interaction would compound social isolation is unclear. At some point, someone with dementia may even believe that the robot is human. And regardless of personality changes, inability to recognize family, hostility and aggression, the robot will still be there, without becoming hurt, angry or hostile as we humans can easily become.
Notwithstanding that those quoted are only an infinitismal representation of the medical community, that discipline hasn't been one to embrace nonmedicine changes with open arms. How long has it taken for alternative medicine to be accepted as something other than quack treatment? How long has cancer treatment been focused on the slash and burn approach?
Potts at least recognizes both sides of the issue, but his statement that "technologies that allow remote monitoring to occur, such as medication systems that monitor med dosing, reminder systems for appointments, etc., can be very useful and reduce some of the anxieties of remote caregiving" to me reflects a very amateurish and simplistic approach to the complexities of caregiving.
I wonder how many Depends he's changed? I wonder how many times he's gotten up in the middle of the night to drive to an elder's home because he/she can't be reached and the possibility of a fall or worse is on the caregivier's mind? How many times has he come home exhausted and conflicted because of the physical stress of being chauffeur for all the medical appointments?
He does make a valid point about disconnection in today's society. But I question whether robotics in elder care would increase that, substitute for it, or actually enhance interpersonal reaction with the family by lessening some of the trauma the family undergoes.
I'll be interested to read what others write on this issue.
Robots don't add any comfort in my opinion.