What contribution do robots make to the care of older people? A scoping review

摘要

Background and research aim: The aim of this research was to identify the main benefits and barriers of using robotic technology to assist in activities of daily living (ADLs) in older people, as reported in empirical research exploring user perspectives. Most of the literature currently focuses on socially assistive companion robots. Methodology: A scoping literature review was conducted. Three bibliometric databases were searched covering the last 10 years. 60 publications were included in the review. Results: Most studies were pilot studies and were conducted with participants who had no identified cognitive impairment. Studies reported mainly positive findings, with older people finding the robots easy to use, and with a high rate of acceptance. Nevertheless, several barriers were identified, and studies pointed to some potential social and psychological harms that could come from using these devices, such as increasing social isolation. Conclusions: Pilot studies suggest potential benefits associated with using robots for ADLs. At the same time, a number of barriers still remain. Costings (including social, psychological and financial) need to be undertaken to measure the usefulness of these devices. Further work must give more attention to the complex and contextual needs associated with a diverse patient base.