With the skills shortage looking set to continue in the care sector, care providers are increasingly looking to artificial intelligence to help bridge the gap and provide quality care to residents both in a traditional care home setting and in the individual’s own home.
But will these new technologies see a detrimental impact on the care given to clients due to the loss of the ‘human touch’ or will AI actually improve the lives of both care employees and residents?
A £2.5million EU-funded trial in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire and Advinia Health Care is due to launch this September. It will showcase some of the world’s most technologically advanced robots placed in care situations to recognise the needs of residents and help overwhelmed staff better care for their charges.
This trial has been met with criticism from some, who believe that the robots are no replacement for the human interaction that clients currently receive.
However, the aim of the robots isn’t to replace these crucial interactions, but to ensure that the staff have more time to spend one-on-one with residents. The robots will be able to recognise the emotions of each person and offer them the ability to play games, make a Skype call to family or friends, play music or listen to videos should they wish.
The Caress software installed to the robots mean that they are also able to adapt their responses dependent upon the situation and can tailor conversations with a person as they learn which subjects are of interest to that individual.
The 4ft robots will also be able to issue medication reminders to residents, but do not have the ability to carry out the task themselves – this will still be done by care staff.
This breakthrough has been noted to be especially useful in tackling loneliness and isolation in the elderly and gives them something to focus on whilst care givers are carrying out other essential tasks such as delivering medications or dealing with personal needs.
With this in mind, AI technology has appealed to many care organisations as a way of improving the mental health of both residents and staff plus reducing the stress that comes with a demanding care role.
Many people who have come into contact with the robots so far have marvelled at the intelligence and user friendliness that they provide, so it will be interesting to follow the progress of the trial and see just how successful artificial intelligence technologies can be in a care setting.
