A Systematic Literature Review on the Use of Social Robots in Elderly Care

Abstract

In view of demographic change and the shortage of skilled nursing staff, the use of social robots in nursing care, especially in elderly care, has become increasingly important in recent years. To address this development, we conducted a systematic literature review examining the acceptance of social robots in elderly care and people’s attitudes towards this technology. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of scientific publications from recent years in which social robots for the elderly have been evaluated in studies with human participants, in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of the acceptance potential for robotic care systems. In particular, the results of our study relate to the identification of potential uses of social robots in the care context, including interactions that improve activity and mood, provide care and companionship, support social interaction and communication, and reduce the load on caregivers. A variety of applications of robots in caregiving are explored, such as connecting older people with their families, providing companionship, promoting health, or providing therapeutic support. The results show a diverse, yet untapped potential of socially supportive robotic systems in care, with adoption highly dependent on several key factors.