Woof woof! Robotic pets promote health for the elderly

They may not be the cutest creatures, but robot pets could be one of the answers to the loneliness prevalent among seniors.

Companion robot pets reduced depression, anxiety, and loneliness in community-dwelling women aged 65 and older, a study has revealed. Gerontological Society of America 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting.

“Interaction with this pet brought happiness and made participants feel special, like they had won an award,” said the study's lead researcher, Seok-young Kang, Ph.D., an associate professor at Binghamton University in New York. said. “As a side note, we found that many elderly people are unable to care for a real pet, so we thought this robot pet could be an alternative.”

Kang worked with the New York State Broome County Department of Aging to recruit participants for the study, with 45 people with symptoms of depression receiving a robotic cat or dog during a home visit.

Kang and his colleagues followed up with the patients one month later to analyze changes in their mental and physical health.

The mean baseline score for depression was 9.16 on a 15-point scale, which dropped to 5.29 at 1 month. The mean anxiety score at baseline was 13.18 and decreased to 7.33.

Loneliness decreased from 4.31 at baseline to 3.13 at one month follow-up. Self-rated physical health increased from 1.44 at baseline to 1.73 over the study period.

Kang said the findings may have been influenced by selection bias, as some people who might have wanted a robot pet may not have felt comfortable receiving a home visit. said.

“I want to reach people who are really feeling lonely, because in the course of conducting this study, many participants told me that they knew someone who needed support. But they were reluctant to meet with me,” Kang said. “We don't know where they are because they're really isolated. They don't want to talk to anyone else.”

Kang said that although the robot they used was not mobile, it responded to touch and movement through sensors and mimicked the sounds of live animals.

“I don't think robots replace human interaction at all, but they do provide a unique form of support,” Kang said. “Technology is great, but it can't replace human interaction. Human interaction is still needed.”

Dr. Melissa Harris Gersten, RN, Conductor similar research They said they found a similar effect when they looked at the percentage of veterans with dementia in 2023.

“Nothing other than music brightens and engages people living with dementia like these robot pets,” said Harris Gersten, a research health scientist at the Durham VA Healthcare System.

Harris-Gersten said pets create opportunities for patients to be social and interact with other people.

Dr. Wei Qi Koh is an occupational therapist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. the study A percentage of seniors and those with dementia say robot pets are not suitable for all seniors, as individual needs vary widely.

“For example, it is [pet robots] “When shared among residents in a communal living environment, people become attached to or 'jealous' of the robot, causing some form of distress,” Koh said. “As technology develops, more needs to be put in place to guide the ethical use of pet robots, especially for vulnerable populations.”

Some ethicists argue that robot pets infantilize or deceive people who have cognitive problems that prevent them from distinguishing between real animals and robots, Koh said.

“I believe that ethical guidance should be practical. For example, should a pet robot be introduced as a 'robot' for those who are happy to see it, or as a real animal and companion?” Should we? What will the end user prefer?'' Ko said.

No disclosures reported.