Impacts of Low-cost Robotic Pets for Older Adults and People With Dementia: Scoping Review.
Wei Qi Koh, Faith Xin Hui Ang, Dympna Casey
PMID 33497349WHAT IT FOUND
Low-cost robotic cats and dogs reduced agitation and improved mood in people with dementia, and lowered loneliness in healthy older adults.
However, some users found the robots creepy or distressing, and the evidence comes from small studies with poor quality ratings.
Key findings
01Robotic pets reduced agitation and improved mood in people with dementia, with one study showing statistically significant improvements in agitation scores.
02In cognitively healthy older adults, using robotic pets led to a statistically significant decrease in subjective loneliness after one month, which was sustained after two months.
03Some people with dementia experienced negative reactions, including anxiety from robot sounds, distress from robot movements, and feelings of responsibility or jealousy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were rated as poor or fair quality. Data collection and analysis methods were not clearly described in four studies. Blinding of assessors was not reported in the quantitative studies. The review excluded non-English publications. Sample sizes were small in most studies, limiting generalisability. One study did not report the number of participants.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were declared by the authors in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these robots are beneficial for all patients with dementia. Some users experienced anxiety, distress, or feelings of burden from the interactive features. Patient preference for animals is a key predictor of positive response, and negative reactions were reported in participants who disliked animals or found the robot's movements or sounds unsettling.