Improved Knowledge Changes the Mindset: Older Adults’ Perceptions of Care Robots

Abstract

This paper explores Finnish, German and Swedish older adults' perceptions of a future welfare service with increased use of welfare technologies, specifically care robots. The issues are the rapid digitalization and development of health and welfare technology, which presently is mainly technology driven (not need or user driven), and the demographic challenge. The aim of the study was to explore older adults' perception of the future use of welfare technology or care robots. A qualitative approach with focus group discussions was employed, followed by thematic analysis. The results are presented in four overall themes: the impact on daily life for older adults and professional caregivers, codes of practice and terms of use, dissemination of information and knowledge, and conditions for successful implementation. There were significant differences in the informants' attitudes toward and knowledge about care robots. However, the informants' attitudes appeared to change during the focus groups and in general, became more positive. Authentic needs, which care robots could support, refer to independence, safety and security, and the ability to manage or ease daily life or working life. The results suggest that older adults, after receiving relevant information, were open to the idea of being supported by care robots in their daily lives.

Role of Assistive Robots in the Care of Older People: Survey Study Among Medical and Nursing Students

“…Additionally, differences in the attitudes of students from different countries and regions (eg, Japan vs Europe) are worth exploring [ 45 ]. Moreover, the inclusion of potential end users from older generations as well as other stakeholders (family members, professional caregivers, etc) might yield noteworthy results, as indicated in a range of previous studies [ 20 , 28 , 31 , 33 ].…”

“…This corresponds with the observation of Flandorfer that the more experienced people are in using new technologies and the smarter the devices, the higher is the desire to use such devices when needed [ 18 ]. Johansson-Pajala et al also observed that the attitudes of study participants to care robots improved as their knowledge increased [ 33 ], which was interpreted as a general need for an improved orientation within the field.…”

Prerequisites for a healthy and independent life among older people: a Delphi study

“…Johansson-Pajala et al . (2019) concluded that a successful implementation of health and welfare technology heavily depends on receiving relevant information, meeting older people's authentic needs and considering the hesitance of professional caregivers. In the results of the current study, only 12 of the 17 health professionals in primary and home health care, assistant nurses in home care and care managers considered having access to individualised health and welfare technology for increased surveillance in the home to be a prerequisite for a healthy and independent life (#33), while all 12 older persons and all five politicians did.…”

The perceptions of university students on technological and ethical risks of using robots in long-term care homes

“…Virtual interviews resulted in some Wi-Fi technical issues and the inability to see the telepresence robot in person. They were shown a mirror of how they were controlling the robot from their end, however, the experience may have been different if they had seen the technology in person, as it would have given them the element of design and expanded the concept of usage, as attitudes improved with more knowledge of the robot (Johansson-Pajala et al, 2019). Purposive sampling enabled diversity in the participants in terms of interdisciplinary studies, ethnicity, gender, and age allowing for diverse perspectives.…”