Robots in care homes

[Louise7]

Apparently robots are going to be introduced to some care homes on a trial basis but "the trial was not intended to explore the replacement of human carers with robots, but to help fill lonely periods when, because of a stretched social care system, staff do not have time to keep residents company"

Robots to be used in UK care homes to help reduce loneliness

Machines can hold simple conversations and have been found to improve mental health

www.theguardian.com

 

[canary]

Hmmmm.......... I wonder how well that will go down with the residents.

I also wonder how expensive they are to not just buy, but maintain and maybe repair after a resident takes offence at something that they have said......

 

[Louise7]

The link doesn't appear to be showing the full article any more but I think that it said that the robot costs around £19,000 - might be cheaper to get someone in to provide company to the residents.........

 

[Izzy]

I think this article is about the some thing -

Talking robots could be used in UK care homes to ease loneliness and improve mental health

A robot called Pepper, which can engage in conversation and learn people's tastes, has been tested in care homes.

news.sky.com

 

[canary]

Oh! I got the full artical through the link and saw how much they cost to buy, but thought the true cost would probably be more.

Yes I agree it would probably be cheaper (and more flexible) than a robot. I could imagine my mum being very rude to a robot that rolled up and tried to talk to her and I could imagine several others being frightened and maybe taking their walking stick to it

 

[Louise7]

Perhaps the PPE savings will outweigh the cost of the robot?

 

[nitram]

Pepper was on BBC breakfast talking to a resident in a care home, the episode will be available soon https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mfx5 .
You will have to do a bit of fast forward to find it.
EDIT Robot is at 22m05s

There is also an interview with a select committee https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-45878164 .

I get the full Guardian article

 

[canary]

Perhaps the PPE savings will outweigh the cost of the robot?

?

 

[Banjomansmate]

The Banjoman’s Care Home was very lucky because they had a volunteer “befriender”, a lovely gentleman who had spent some time in a residential care home after an accident and who wanted to “ give something back“ . He would go in several days a week and sit and chat with the residents, I found him sitting with The Banjoman in his room encouraging him to eat when he was struggling with using knife and fork. He would also accompany residents to hospital appointments when there was no spare member of staff to go with them.
I think our @kindred does the equivalent job at her husband’s care home.

 

[Weasell]

I think the robots are a great idea.
Think how useful Alexa is.
I would design them with big TV screen tummies.
They could answer all common questions.
Where am I ?
What time is it?
What day is it?
The answer would be written on their tummies for the hard of hearing.
They could show the menu of the day!

They could be on continual patrol at night looking out for problems, with cctv to Relay back to the staff mobile phone.

And they would never mind being sworn at !

 

[annielou]

Reminds me of a film hubby and I saw a few years ago called robot & frank. An old mans busy kids got him a robot companion to help him day to day. I don't think these will be quite as advanced as the one in the film was, it ended up helping frank plan a jewellery heist so I hope not lol.
Its a weird idea, suppose in some ways it could be helpful, especially the ways @Weasell has suggested.
I was struck by the cost of £19,000 for a robot being about a £1000 more then the average salary of care worker of about £18,000 a year. Maybe that is part of the reason there are a lot of vacancies and a staffing crisis in social care, it's a blooming hard job with not much monetary reward.

 

[nitram]

Scroll forward to 22m05s to see robot in care home
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mfx5 .

 

[Weasell]

Scroll forward to 22m05s to see robot in care home
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mfx5 .

Just used the link.
Thank you very much

 

[MaNaAk]

Sorry to say this but can imagine a future where care homes are run by robots!

MaNaAk

 

[kindred]

The Banjoman’s Care Home was very lucky because they had a volunteer “befriender”, a lovely gentleman who had spent some time in a residential care home after an accident and who wanted to “ give something back“ . He would go in several days a week and sit and chat with the residents, I found him sitting with The Banjoman in his room encouraging him to eat when he was struggling with using knife and fork. He would also accompany residents to hospital appointments when there was no spare member of staff to go with them.
I think our @kindred does the equivalent job at her husband’s care home.

Thank you, yes I do! We have several robot cats which are very popular BUT their batteries run down so quickly and then it is usually a bit of a wait to get new ones and catch one of our handymen on his rounds to put it in!
Warmest, kindredx

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

I've seen other trials of robots overseas and I think they could be really helpful - not instead of carers but as well as.

Some residents seem to really take to them and they can provide lots of reassuring info, don't mind repeated questions or nonsense, can alert staff if necessary and lots of other things. I assume they can also do simple things like play music, change the TV channel, request food/drink.

However, they cannot and never will replace real people. (Thank goodness)