Can telepresence robots empower people with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities in everyday life?
L. Küsters, M. Schmidt, B. Klein
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AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the need to improve mental health services for elderly, people with mental health conditions or intellectual disabilities (WHO, 2021). The objective is to live a self-determined, autonomous life and to be empowered and integrated in society (WHO, 2021). In Germany, deinstitutionalisation of mental health care has been accompanied by the rise of counselling and care services that assist these target groups with household chores and other needs, but also provide services that enable social inclusion and participation (DGPPN, 2018). For recipients of these services, a structured daily routine provides stability (Gold et al., 2018). Service providers should use empowering approaches that use and promote the resources of people with mental health conditions (clients) and encourage self-determined decision making (Gold et al., 2018; Schädle-Deininger, 2010). To what extent can new technologies, such as telepresence robots, support these tasks, e. g. in the field of communication and housekeeping activities (Isabet et al., 2022)? In the project ‘EmpowermentAssistant (TeilhabeAssistenz)’, the telepresence robot Temi (Fig. 1) is used in assisted living for people with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities. For this purpose, Temi will be equipped with a software toolbox that promotes empowerment, supports independence and strengthens digital literacy.Keywords: telepresence robot, mental health, structuring daily living, digital participation, empowerment
L. Küsters, M. Schmidt, B. Klein (2022). Can telepresence robots empower people with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities in everyday life?. Gerontechnology, 21(s),1-1
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2022.21.s.759.opp3