
Robot dogs are bringing comfort to care home residents with dementia
Robotic puppies are being taken into care homes in a bid to give residents the emotional attachment to a pet, without the real-life issues that come with owning the real thing.
Robotic puppies are being taken into care homes in a bid to give residents the emotional attachment to a pet, without the real-life issues that come with owning the real thing.
Robotic pets controlled by artificial intelligence can alleviate loneliness in older adults – including those with dementia, research suggests.
Pets can be a great companion and truly are a part of the family. But for lots of reasons, not everyone can have an actual pet. So how about a robotic one?
Following robotic versions of cats and golden retriever puppies designed to provide companionship to seniors without all of the cleanup and demands of pet ownership, Ageless Innovation’s Joy For All line is introducing a new animatronic bird designed to perch on a walker to help motivate older adults to embrace their mobility aids.
The idea for the Walker Squawker (yes, that’s what it’s actually called) is credited to 93-year-old Rita Melone who, after 90 years of getting around on her own, found it challenging to adapt to a walker, and to remember to actually use it whenever she got up. But instead of constant reminders from a nurse or other caregiver which could create negative associations to a mobility aid, the Walker Squawker seems like a fun and innocuous way to passively encourage walker use because its animated movements are designed to emulate a real bird— a species which, as far as we know, doesn’t spend a lot of its time judging humanity.
They move, make noise and respond to your touch, but these animatronic animals are not your typical toy. The 20 dogs and cats currently sitting in the Crook County Senior Service (CCSS) office are designed to be companions for people suffering from dementia – and research suggests they can have a significant impact on quality of life.