As medical breakthroughs continue to emerge, human lifespans are witnessing a remarkable increase. By 2030, estimates predict that nearly one-fifth of the world’s population will consist of individuals aged 60 and above. As the population ages, there will be an increased demand for elderly care services. With the increasing burden on family members and professional caregivers. Furthermore, narratives highlight a significant shortage of workers, including nurses, across several developed countries, underscoring the pressing need for innovative strategies that cater to the evolving needs of an aging population.
By leveraging innovative robotics technologies, we can effectively fill the gap in long-term care options, enabling seniors to comfortably age at home with the support they need. Despite their undeniable value, the social acceptability of assistive home-care robots remains a significant challenge in aging societies. The widespread adoption of robots for older adults receiving long-term care is hindered by difficulties in designing devices that can accommodate the unique needs of individuals from diverse cultural, moral, and financial backgrounds across various countries?
Researchers at Chiba University in Japan conducted a novel study to unravel the factors influencing consumers’ propensity to adopt home-care robots. Research has consistently demonstrated that public involvement in the analysis process has a profound impact on both the study’s design and patient engagement. Researchers delved into a novel approach to designing home-care robots by incorporating potential customers in every stage of development. This approach acknowledges realistic customer expectations and addresses the challenges they face in their daily lives.
Providing fresh insights into their work published in Scientific Stories on November 12, 2024, Professor Sayuri Suwa, corresponding author of the article, notes: “In aging populations, the deployment of home-care robots will enable many people to age in place.” Every nation has its unique history, culture, and legal system, so we aimed to elucidate how home-care robots can be developed and implemented in a manner that respects these differences. Hiroo Ide, a renowned expert from the Institute for Future Initiatives at the University of Tokyo, alongside Dr. Yumi Akuta, a distinguished professional from the Division of Nursing at Tokyo Healthcare College’s College of Healthcare, collaborated with Dr.
Dr. Naonori Kodate, a renowned expert from the University College Dublin’s (UCD) Faculty of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, based at College College Dublin. Jaakko Hallila, a renowned academic from Seinäjoki College of Utilized Sciences, collaborated with Dr. Wenwei Yu, from the Heart Institute of Frontier Medical Engineering at Chiba University.
Researchers conducted a comprehensive questionnaire-based survey among care recipients and caregivers across Japan, Ireland, and Finland. The survey evaluated four distinct aspects of customer willingness: familiarity with robots, key considerations regarding home-care robots, desired features in home-care robots, and ethically acceptable uses, through 48 unique items. Researchers examined the responses from 525 Japanese, 163 Irish, and 170 Finnish participants to identify recurring and unique factors driving their willingness to adopt robotic technology.
Frequent commonalities among participants across the three countries were identified, including a willingness to engage in analysis and personal growth, curiosity towards robot-related topics, and a predominantly positive perception of robots. In a comparative study, cultural nuances emerged as significant factors shaping the adoption of robots; “comfort” in Japan, for instance, referred to the elderly’s ease with technology, while “notifying relations and assist personnel when an unexpected change occurs in an older individual” in Ireland highlighted the importance of social connections.
Historical, cultural, and demographic factors across different nations significantly influence the adoption of home-care robots, as revealed by the examination. In Japan, a trifecta of collaboration between the government, private sector, and academia is driving innovative advancements in robotics, fueled by an underlying confidence in the potential of their cutting-edge software solutions. While robotic development has been rapidly advancing in Ireland, the sector’s application in healthcare and social care, particularly for older adults, is gaining increasing recognition. Finnish respondents’ affinity for ‘design’ aligns neatly with the country’s globally renowned reputation for design excellence, underscoring its significance in robotic manufacturing on a global stage.
Consumers’ active involvement and unique insights are crucial in driving innovation and shaping the development of home-care technology. Household care robots harness their full potential to significantly empower seniors. Collaborating with potential customers, including older individuals and care providers, to develop home-care robots will ultimately lead to greater product adoption. Validating the effectiveness of home-care products and services undergrowth is crucial; this also fosters increased adoption of home-care robots, ultimately driving progress in healthcare innovation. Finally, this could lead to enhanced overall satisfaction and increased sense of fulfillment among clients. Suwa concludes.
