A survey of assistive robots and systems for elderly care

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Kumar Santhanaraj ◽  
Ramya M.M. ◽  
Dinakaran D.
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Holistic Care ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Aged People ◽  
To Come

Purpose The rousing phenomenon of the ageing population is becoming a vital issue and demanding fulminant actions. Population ageing is a resultant of the enhanced health-care system, groovy antibiotics, medications and economic well-being. Old age leads to copious amounts of ailments. Aged people, owing to their reduced mobility and enervating disabilities, tend to rely upon caretakers and/or nursing personnel. With the increasing vogue of nuclear families in the society, the elderly are at the risk of being unveiled to emotional, physical and fiscal insecurities in the years to come. Caring for those seniors will be an enormous undertaking. Design/methodology/approach There is a dire need for an intelligent assistive system to meet out the requirements of continuous holistic care and monitoring. Assistive robots and systems used for elderly care are studied. The design motivation for the robots, elderly–robot interaction capabilities and technology incorporated in the systems are examined meticulously. Findings From the survey, it is suggested that the subsystems of an assistive robot revamped for better human–machine interactions will be a potential alternative to the human counterpart. Affirmable advancements in the robot design and interaction methodologies that would increase the holistic care and assistance for aged people are analyzed and listed. Originality/value This paper reviews the available assistive technologies and suggests a synergistic model that can be adopted for the caring of the elderly.

scholarly journals Service robots: value co-creation and co-destruction in elderly care networks

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Čaić ◽  
Gaby Odekerken-Schröder ◽  
Dominik Mahr
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Service Robots ◽  
Value Networks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Value Network ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Socially Assistive Robots

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential roles for service robots (i.e. socially assistive robots) in value networks of elderly care. Taking an elderly person’s perspective, it defines robot roles according to their value co-creating/destroying potential for the elderly user (i.e. focal actor), while acknowledging consequences for a network of users around the elderly (i.e. network actors). Design/methodology/approach This qualitative, interpretative study employs in-depth phenomenographic interviews, supported by generative cards activities (i.e. Contextual Value Network Mapping), to elicit an elderly person’s tacit knowledge and anticipate the effects of introducing an automated actor on institutionalized value co-creation practices. Findings The proposed typology identifies six roles of socially assistive robots in an elderly person’s value network (enabler, intruder, ally, replacement, extended self, and deactivator) and links them to three health-supporting functions by robots: safeguarding, social contact, and cognitive support. Research limitations/implications Elderly people have notable expectations about the inclusion of a socially assistive robot as a new actor in their value networks. The identified robot roles inform service scholars and managers about both the value co-destruction potential that needs to be avoided through careful designs and the value co-creation potential that should be leveraged. Originality/value Using network-conscious phenomenographic interviews before the introduction of a novel value proposition sheds new light on the shifting value co-creation interplay among value network actors (i.e. elderly people, formal and informal caregivers). The value co-creation/destruction potential of socially assistive robots and their corresponding roles in care-based value networks offer insights for the design of meaningful robotic technology and its introduction into the existing service networks.

scholarly journals Exploring the facet of elderly care centre in multiethnic Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Filzah Md Isa ◽  
Shaista Noor ◽  
Goh Wei Wei ◽  
Sharifah Diyana Binti Syed Hussain ◽  
Hairunnisa Mohamad Ibrahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Trained Staff ◽  
The Government

Purpose Malaysia is considered to be a relatively young country as compared to other older countries such as Japan, China and Australia in terms of the ageing population. However, until 2035, Malaysia will be in the ageing group countries as 15% of the entire population will be above 60 years of age. This situation is quite alarming as more and more ageing care centres will be required to fulfill the ongoing demands of the ageing population. The elderly care centres in Malaysia are categorised as public (sponsored by the government), private, and charity based that comes under religious centres. Currently, there are about 365 registered elderly care centres working in the main states of Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak, two states of the East Malaysia. Due to the importance of ageing population issues, the present study is conducted to explore the demographics facet of Malaysian’s elderly care centres. The main reason behind that lies on the fact that many of these centres are still labelled as being not well equipped and lacking behind in trained staff, equipment and also suffering from severe financial constraints but some still capable of working on a sustainability basis. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative Research Strategy has been adopted, and 28 centres throughout Malaysia are included in this study. About 18 Operators from different centres and 15 caregivers were interviewed to get the holistic view of ageing care and facilities in their respective centres. Findings The results highlight that the majority of centres are not receiving any financial help from the government, and few centres are doing small business such as supplying consumable medical and non-medical items and providing renting and rehabilitation centres facilities to sustain. The caregivers are facing issues such as excess workload, less salary, peer conflicts and non-cooperative centre leadership. Originality/value The present study may help to provide useful information to the policymakers, which enables them to formulate the strategies for ageing care centres in Malaysia. As this study provides insight of components that have an impact on the overall wellbeing of elderly care centres, hence, it could help the care services providers to act as a rising star for Malaysian’s social life comfort.

scholarly journals Job crafting and well-being in the elderly care sector: the effect of over-commitment

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 405-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Romeo ◽  
Montserrat Yepes-Baldó ◽  
Miguel Ángel Piñeiro ◽  
Kristina Westerberg ◽  
Maria Nordin
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Longitudinal Design ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
General Health Questionnaire ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Job Crafting ◽  
Positive Interaction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the moderation effect of over-commitment in the job crafting–well-being relationship, in the elderly care sector in Spain. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional design was implemented and a final sample of 353 participants were assessed using the Job Crafting Questionnaire, an adaptation of the Over-commitment Scale from the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Findings A positive interaction between relational and task crafting and over-commitment is observed in the prediction of well-being levels. Specifically, the effect of over-commitment in the task crafting–well-being relationship proved to be statistically significant when opposed to low, medium and high levels of over-commitment. Additionally, the effect of over-commitment in the relational crafting–well-being relationship proved to be statistically significant only when opposed to medium and high levels of over-commitment. Finally, a direct and simple effect was observed between cognitive crafting and well-being, not moderated by over-commitment. Research limitations/implications Implementation of non-behavioral measurements, and a non-longitudinal design are suggested. The development of behavioral measures for job crafting is encouraged, along with the implementation of longitudinal designs sensitive to changes in over-commitment. Possible over-commitment results are biased by an economically contracted environment. Practical implications Job crafting training, over-commitment early detection and further research on job crafting strategies’ preferences are suggested. Originality/value The moderating role of over-commitment in the job crafting–well-being relationship in the elderly care sector represents one of these attempts to better understand evidences of how work-related efforts modify a worker’s psychological functioning and adaptation, which is the reason why, specially in contexts of uncertainty, its study becomes relevant.

Leadership and decision making challenges among elderly care centre operators: case of multi-ethnic Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-526
Author(s):  
Filzah Md Isa ◽  
Shaista Noor ◽  
Nik Maheran Nik Mohammad ◽  
Mohd Muttaqin Mohd Adnan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Care Centre ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
The Government

Purpose The ageing population is a rising issue worldwide, including in Malaysia, which leads to an increase in older people compared to children. Malaysia is a relatively “younger” country compared to its Asian counterparts such as Japan and China. The demographic projections by the Department of Statistics of Malaysia state that by 2035 approximately 15% of its population would be above 60 years old. The powerful demographic trend of the ageing of the Malaysian population has consequences for the entire society and its economy. One of the biggest challenges for the Malaysian Government is to provide adequate facilities to the elderly in terms of care and support. For this purpose, around 365 registered and various unregistered centres are working throughout Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak. The government, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and various religious organisations run these centres. These centres provide residential and health-care services to elderlies, whereas the centre’s operators face multiple challenges in the overall operation of the centre. The purpose of this study to highlight the leadership and decision making challenges among elderly care centre operators. Design/methodology/approach The result highlights that both men and women operators face leadership and decision-making challenges for centre management. Regarding decision-making, women are experiencing more failures in proper decision-making than men. However, women operators are keen to learn from failures for appropriate decision-making. Findings The result highlights that both men and women operators face leadership and decision-making challenges for centre management. Regarding decision-making, women are experiencing more failures in proper decision-making than men. However, women operators are keen to learn from failures for appropriate decision-making. The present study will help the new operators to persevere in their business ventures, and policymakers look into the best supports to enhance elderly care centre operator’s success. Originality/value The present study will help the new operators to persevere in their business ventures, and policymakers look into the best supports to enhance elderly care centre operator’s success.

scholarly journals Can a humanoid social robot stimulate the interactivity of cognitively impaired elderly? A thorough study based on computer vision methods

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gauri Tulsulkar ◽  
Nidhi Mishra ◽  
Nadia Magnenat Thalmann ◽  
Hwee Er Lim ◽  
Mei Ping Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computer Vision ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Social Robots ◽  
Assistive Robotics ◽  
Cognitively Impaired ◽  
Assistive Robots ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
Human Need

AbstractSocial Assistive Robotics is increasingly being used in care settings to provide psychosocial support and interventions for the elderly with cognitive impairments. Most of these social robots have provided timely stimuli to the elderly at home and in care centres, including keeping them active and boosting their mood. However, previous investigations have registered shortcomings in these robots, particularly in their ability to satisfy an essential human need: the need for companionship. Reports show that the elderly tend to lose interests in these social robots after the initial excitement as the novelty wears out and the monotonous familiarity becomes all too familiar. This paper presents our research facilitating conversations between a social humanoid robot, Nadine, and cognitively impaired elderly at a nursing home. We analysed the effectiveness of human–humanoid interactions between our robot and 14 elderly over 29 sessions. We used both objective tools (based on computer vision methods) and subjective tools (based on observational scales) to evaluate the recorded videos. Our findings showed that our subjects engaged positively with Nadine, suggesting that their interaction with the robot could improve their well-being by compensating for some of their emotional, cognitive, and psychosocial deficiencies. We detected emotions associated with cognitively impaired elderly during these interactions. This study could help understand the expectations of the elderly and the current limitations of Social Assistive Robots. Our research is aligned with all the ethical recommendations by the NTU Institutional Review Board.

Roman Age Structure: Evidence and Models

2001 ◽  
Vol 91 ◽  
pp. 1-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Scheidel
Keyword(s):  
Age Structure ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Public Affairs ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Average Life Expectancy ◽  
Specific Distribution ◽  
The Status ◽  
To Come

For many Romans, life was short. In consequence, the young greatly outnumbered the elderly. Historians have long accepted these basic truths, even if they are only beginning to come to terms with the social implications of an alien demographic regime. But how short is ‘short’, and how many Romans were children, how many adults? Does it matter, and can we know?The importance of demographic structure is not in doubt. High mortality causes scarce energy resources to be wasted in pregnancies and nursing, and poses a disincentive to investment in education. It destabilizes families and households, exposes orphans and widows to risk and potential hardship, and shortens the time-horizons of economic activity. In the long term, average life expectancy is the principal determinant of fertility. Poor chances of survival trigger high birth rates to ensure genetic survival. High fertility, in turn, is negatively correlated with the status and well-being of women, and constrains female participation in economic and public affairs. Overall age structure, in conjunction with cultural practices from marriage to child care, determines the prevalence of orphans and widows, and affects the age-specific distribution of fertility. In sum, age structure is instrumental in framing and shaping expectations and experiences. For this reason alone, our understanding of life in the Roman world is critically dependent on our knowledge of demographic conditions.

scholarly journals Exploring collaboration within social housing retrofit practice for an ageing population: a single case study in the West of Scotland

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayna Rodger ◽  
Nicola Callaghan ◽  
Craig Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Social Housing ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Infrastructure ◽  
The Social

Purpose Sustainably addressing the social and economic demands from an ageing population is a major global challenge, with significant implications for policy and practice. This is resultant of the increasing demand for housing adaptations to prevent increased pressure upon acute health services. Through the lens of institutional theory, this paper aims to explore the levels of joined-up retrofit practice within a Scottish social housing provider, under a constructivist approach. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory single case study of a Scottish local authority was undertaken. Within this, nine key stakeholders were interviewed, taking a hierarchical approach, from director to repair and maintenance staff. Results were analysed by using Braun and Clarke’s six stages of thematic analysis. Findings There is a need for greater levels of integration within retrofit practice to not only improve the health and well-being of the older population but also increase efficiency and economic savings within public services. Currently, there are key issues surrounding silo-based decision-making, poor data infrastructure, power struggles and a dereliction of built environment knowledge and expertise, preventing both internal and external collaboration. However, housing, energy and health have interlinking agendas which are integral to achieving ageing in place. Therefore, there must be system-wide recognition of the potential benefits of improved cross-sector collaboration, preventing unintended consequences whilst providing socioeconomic outcomes. Originality/value This research provides a new perspective surrounding retrofit practice within the context of an ageing population. It highlights the requirement for improved cross sector collaboration and the social and economic cost of poor quality practice.

scholarly journals Investigating the business performance on the financial well-being of the Government retirees

2021 ◽  
Vol 124 ◽  
pp. 03006
Author(s):  
Abdul Mutalib Embong ◽  
Norzamziah Afzainizam ◽  
Mariati Norhashim ◽  
Amirsaman Ahmadi
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Profile Analysis ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Population ageing; where there is growth in the percentage of older persons in the population; is becoming a worldwide phenomenon due to better healthcare and lower birth rates. The phenomenon of population ageing brings with it both challenges and opportunities. The challenges of an ageing population include social, health and economic support of the elderly. Malaysia is recognizing the need to address this issue of financially supporting an ageing population. The purpose of the paper was to investigate the impact of business on the financial well-being (FWB) of the ageing, specifically the government retirees. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among retirees who were in business throughout Malaysia that employed a cross sectional design. Forty-one respondents were successfully interviewed. Statistical procedures for the analyses included descriptive analysis and a profile analysis using scatterplot on the perceived business performance vs financial well-being. The survey revealed that the majority of the respondents operated business in the services, trade or retail industries which were set up and fully owned by themselves. Resource wise, the majority had very low financial capital, human capital and social capital. The study provides some empirical evidence that the retirees in business may be categorized into opportunity driven and necessity driven groups. The paper concludes that there is a need to find alternative income generation methods for the necessity driven group. Making paid work accessible to the elderly must be urgently put on the national agenda.

An assistive household robot – doing more than just cleaning

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Kantorovitch ◽  
Janne Väre ◽  
Vesa Pehkonen ◽  
Arto Laikari ◽  
Heikki Seppälä
Keyword(s):  
Elderly Care ◽  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Vacuum Cleaner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technology Products ◽  
Sensing Technology ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Novel Concept ◽  
Reliability And Robustness

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to create new ideas for assistive technology products at home, especially products utilizing robotic consumer appliances available in the homes of elderly people. The work was founded on a reported increase in household robots as well as an ageing population in the industrialized world. Design/methodology/approach – Technology should be something that is perceived as belonging to our own world that fits our daily practices. Earlier studies show that in addition to cleaning functions, new household robots could change home routines and people's relationship to them. Taking the previous studies as a starting point, the paper proposes a vacuum cleaner robot as a platform for developing pervasive safety services and describe implementation of a conceptual prototype which brings the feeling of safety to an older person and their relatives by assisting in case of accidents. Moreover, the results are presented of an empirical evaluation of the prototype with end-users. Findings – It is proved that reasonably priced off-the-shelf components can be used to build the safety product demonstration model. The initial evaluation results, as well as referenced studies show that the acceptance rate of a household robot-based product is high, which is encouraging for further research in this domain. Also the paper could pinpoint areas that will require further work. Research limitations/implications – To add more practicality to the research and move towards product development, a strong industrial partner involved in household robotics would be needed. For increased reliability and robustness, more research is required in areas of advanced sensing technology and decision algorithms. Originality/value – A novel concept of a safety product for elderly care based on a vacuum cleaner robot is presented and an attempt is made to increase awareness that there will be a demand for such products.

scholarly journals Innovative and Assistive eHealth Technologies for Smart Therapeutic and Rehabilitation Outdoor Spaces for the Elderly Demographic

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Marques ◽  
Jacqueline McIntosh ◽  
Alvin Valera ◽  
Anuroop Gaddam
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Data Transfer ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Biometric Data ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Primary Focus

The use of technology for social connectivity and achieving engagement goals is increasingly essential to the overall well-being of our rapidly ageing population. While much of the extant literature has focused on home automation and indoor remote health monitoring; there is a growing literature that finds personal health and overall well-being improves when physical activities are conducted outdoors. This study presents a review of possible innovative and assistive eHealth technologies suitable for smart therapeutic and rehabilitation outdoor spaces for older persons. The article also presents key performance metrics required of eHealth technologies to ensure robust, timely and reliable biometric data transfer between patients in a therapeutic landscape environment and respective medical centres. A literature review of relevant publications with a primary focus of integrating sensors and eHealth technologies in outdoor spaces to collect and transfer data from the elderly demographic who engage such built landscapes to appropriate stakeholders was conducted. A content analysis was carried out to synthesize outcomes of the literature review. The study finds that research in assistive eHealth technologies and interfaces for outdoor therapeutic spaces is in its nascent stages and has limited generalisability. The level of technology uptake and readiness for smart outdoor spaces is still developing and is currently being outpaced by the growth of elderly fitness zones in public spaces. Further research is needed to explore those eHealth technologies with interactive feedback mechanisms that are suitable for outdoor therapeutic environments.

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