The ageing ‘care crisis’ in Japan: is there a role for robotics-based solutions?

Abstract

Japan is facing a ‘care crisis’. There is an urgent need to ascertain the extent to which potential users are willing to use robotics-aided care before its roll-out as a formal policy. Based on our recent survey, we discuss home-care professionals’ real perceptions and their implications for the future development and implementation of home-care robots. While they showed some concerns about robotics-aided care, they perceived ‘physical support’, ‘communication’ and ‘monitoring’ functions positively. A small number of care professionals recommended assistive technologies listed in the insurance payment scheme. We conclude that both individual preferences and formal policy options are necessary for an effective implementation of robotics-aided care.