RE: Robotic ‘Furry’ Miracles and the Future of Elderly Care
the question remains: are we technically deceiving dementia patients
I've worked with elderly people with 'dementia' since Aug 2016 as a care worker in a residential care home, where I am in the unit itself for the duration of the 12-hour shift. I really could write an essay on this and might come yet come back to it, but I think the above question is not relevant in the case of the (to my mind) brilliant idea of PARO!
I think most residents are deceived by the very system itself (first priority shareholder obligation and not residents' welfare), and sometimes by the relatives who put them in there. If interested, I blogged a fiction from the POV of a resident in a care home, based on my experiences.
PARO, where I work, would I think make a positive difference to many residents. Of 10 residents in one of the dementia units, 1 I would call 'contented', the rest range from deeply, to moderately, unhappy.
Thanks for the comment.. really gives the issue some real perspective.
Fair point on the broader practice of deception. I get the feeling that the consensus on PARO is that it's just universally beneficial.
Sounds like a tough job and the fiction sounds very inteteresting!
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