Friends from the Future: A Scoping Review of Research into Robots and Computer Agents to Combat Loneliness in Older People

Abstract

Background and Aim: Loneliness is a common problem in older adults and contributes to poor health. This scoping review aimed to synthesize and report evidence on the effectiveness of interventions using social robots or computer agents to reduce loneliness in older adults and to explore intervention strategies. Methods: The review adhered to the Arksey and O'Malley process for conducting scoping reviews. The SCOPUS, PUBMED, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ACM Digital Library and IEEE Xplore databases were searched in November, 2020. A two-step selection process identified eligible research. Information was extracted from papers and entered into an Excel coding sheet and summarised. Quality assessments were conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results: Twenty-nine studies were included, of which most were of moderate to high quality. Eighteen were observational and 11 were experimental. Twenty-four used robots, four used computer agents and one study used both. The majority of results showed that robots or computer agents positively impacted at least one loneliness outcome measure. Some unintended negative consequences on social outcomes were reported, such as sadness when the robot was removed. Overall, the interventions helped to combat loneliness by acting as a direct companion (69%), a catalyst for social interaction (41%), facilitating remote communication with others (10%) and reminding users of upcoming social engagements (3%). Conclusion: Evidence to date suggests that robots can help combat loneliness in older adults, but there is insufficient research on computer agents. Common strategies for reducing loneliness include direct companionship and enabling social interactions. Future research could investigate other strategies used in human interventions (eg, addressing maladaptive social cognition and improving social skills), and the effects of design features on efficacy. It is recommended that more robust experimental and mixed methods research be conducted, using a combination of validated self-report, observational, and interview measures of loneliness.

Healthcare Professionals’ Perceptions of Loneliness amongst Older Adults: A Qualitative Study

“…Healthcare professionals have been working on different approaches to understand and detect loneliness amongst older adults [30,33,35,41]. In addition, evidence shows that healthcare professionals have implemented different interventions with positive effects on the prevention and management of loneliness amongst older adults [36,[78][79][80][81]. Despite this, loneliness is becoming an ever more complex public health problem, and it is necessary to tackle it urgently in a way that involves the whole of society [9,82].…”

Older Adults’ Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Physical Information and Communication Technology in the Era of Ambient Assisted Living: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Previous reviews have also generally reflected the effectiveness of social robots in elderly care, including studies that address loneliness or social isolation [52,53], and the influence of smart houses on older adults' quality of life, including their effect on social isolation [54]. Recently, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has also been a stream of studies from different fields reviewing and considering the importance and possibilities of robots and computer agents in alleviating loneliness [55][56][57][58]. To the best of our knowledge, no prior studies have focused on role of physical ICT solutions in assessing and combating loneliness and social isolation among older adults.…”

A Digital Human for Delivering a Remote Loneliness and Stress Intervention to At-Risk Younger and Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Pilot Trial

“…A recent scoping review on robot-facilitated loneliness interventions found evidence supporting their use with older adults [ 30 ]. For example, Paro, a companion robot in the form of a fluffy baby harp seal, alleviated feelings of loneliness in older adults in nursing homes by providing direct companionship in a manner akin to a pet [ 31 ].…”