They also found that the presence of pets, whether real or robotic, helped participants’ subjective well-being. “I got a lot of pleasure out of the program, and Barney being there, of course, but I liked [the robotic pet] the best … I get very lonely here, so the program has helped facilitate social connections for me,” said an older adult.
Older age, the onset of depression and increased loneliness can significantly contribute to the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, according to two separate studies.
There is a shortage of in-home care aids and nursing facilities also struggle to remain fully staffed.
Some researchers and advocates for aging people believe that eventually robots may be able to help with caretaking in both a social capacity and also through assistive tasks in the home and in long-term care facilities like assisted living.
Legislation promoting programs that combat loneliness in older adults has been reintroduced by the leader of the US Senate Special Committee on Aging.
Loneliness, social isolation and living alone are significant risk factors for mortality, particularly in older adults, according to the results of a new study.
Researchers from Greece, Italy and Canada analyzed 86 previous studies to quantify the relationships between those social dynamics and mortality risk. Their findings were published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research.
Millions of Americans provide unpaid care for their loved ones at home. NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe speaks with reporter Kat McGowan and social worker Dawn Shedrick about the mental health burden of taking this on.