Robot guardian instead of a nurse. Will grandmother appreciate?

An older woman presses a PARO robot, like a teddy baby seal, to her breast, and her gaze is filled with serenity. He and similar guardian robots may soon become widespread, because they have proven to reduce anxiety of patients with memory loss.

PARO is one of the first therapeutic robots. He appeared on the Japanese market in 2004. This device became the forerunner of robotic pets in the form of cats and dogs, which are now available even at a price of $ 100.

Maryland Director of Nursing Services in Maryland, Marianna Blagburn, warmly recalls Sam, a telepresence robot who was in beta testing in her department for caring for people with memory problems. His visits gave patients the necessary charge of positive emotions.
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Today, scientists are developing not only companion robots , but also devices that are able to take care of human health and ensure its reliable control. Already in 10 years, PARO and Sam can be replaced by robots, which will fully take care of people.

According to the forecasts of the American Bureau of Labor Statistics (Bureau of Labor Statistics), in the period from 2016 to 2026, the United States will need about 1.2 million new professionals to care for the aging population . A recent study by the Pew Research Center shows that although 59% of Americans are not enthusiastic about the idea that a robot will take care of them or their loved ones, about 40% are open to this idea and are even encouraged by it.

Concerns about robots as guardians mainly rely on two prejudices: firstly, that they will definitely not cope with their responsibilities, and secondly, that people are especially good at care because of their ability to build emotional connections.

However, the lack of "humanity" can be not only a disadvantage, but also an advantage. People are better able to tune in to their patients emotionally, but this emotional connection can go awry, and not only because of the ineptitude of the specialist.

For example, what should an African American woman care about a person with dementia who has racist or sexist views? Many professional caregivers admit that sometimes complex emotional relationships threaten the care of the wards.



The Pew study contains the following words from a young woman: “I used to work in nursing homes. Staff often underpaid, often overloaded with duties. In addition, people are predisposed to bias: when someone does not like the patient, it affects care. ” On the same occasion, one 53-year-old man noted: "The guardian robot does not get tired, does not miss, does not forget about something and does not refer dismissively."

Monica Anderson (Monica Anderson), one of the authors of this report, argues that lightening the burden for families and giving older people more independence are important advantages of guardians.

The lack of emotional connection with the machine is the main reason for the distrust of the robotic nurses , but some of the Pew respondents pointed to purely technical problems. Former nurse Priscilla Smith said: “Cars have too many crashes. The device can break down at any time, leaving patients in trouble. Sometimes even wheelchairs refuse to roll properly. ”

The Pew report showed that even those who felt discomfort at the thought of robotic care were inspired by the idea of ​​a robot guardian working in tandem with a man. “About half of the Americans surveyed said that they would feel more comfortable if a person was involved in the process, observing the actions of the robot with the help of cameras,” Anderson said.

It is in this interaction that specialists see the future.