Exploring Interactions of Older Adults with Mild Dementia Participating in Robotherapy with Robot Cats in a Day Hospital in Spain: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The growing aging population has raised concerns about the treatment of age-related diseases, such as dementia. An emerging technology that could assist individuals with dementia is the development of social robots. However, interactions with these robots have been underexplored. This study aimed to examine the interactions between a robot cat and older adults with mild dementia during robotherapy sessions. Thirteen older adults with mild dementia who used a robot cat during robotherapy sessions in a day hospital in Spain were interviewed. Following semi-structured interviews, a thematic qualitative analysis of the data was conducted, revealing four main themes: (1) therapeutic effects of robotherapy (relaxation, mood improvement, cognitive stimulation, and increased social interaction); (2) preferences regarding the types of robotherapy activities; (3) interaction with the robot cat during the sessions; and (4) technological characteristics of the robot cat. Overall, the findings indicate positive interactions and suggest promising benefits for older adults with mild dementia participating in robotherapy with robot cats.