Ethical challenges in integrating social robots in geriatric care: Development and assessment of an educational module for health and social care professionals
S. Dacunha, C. Ware, A. S. Rigaud, M. Pino
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AbstractThe rise of new technologies in geriatric care, particularly the use of social robots, is transforming the support provided by medical and paramedical professionals. For some years now, these robots have been used within the framework of psychosocial interventions for older adults with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease. Social robots, which resemble humans or animals and are equipped with AI, offer promising solutions but raise ethical and deontological concerns, especially when used with vulnerable elderly populations (Sharkey & Sharkey, 2012; Borenstein & Pearson, 2020; Vandemeulebroucke et al., 2018). A significant challenge is training professionals interested in using social robots with geriatric patients on how to address relevant ethical issues related to consent obtention, impaired judgment, or the risk of attachment. Obtaining fully informed consent may be particularly challenging with persons with cognitive impairment, as it requires ensuring that they fully understand and agree to the use of robots in their care. Judgment-related issues involve assessing whether these individuals, due to potential judgment disorders, truly comprehend the nature of the robot and the purpose of the therapy. Attachment risks concern the potential for older adults with neurocognitive disorders to develop strong emotional bonds and excessive attachment to the robots, which could lead to problematic outcomes. Moreover, professionals may be discouraged or reticent to use this form of intervention because of these ethical issues or other concerns, such as the complexity of integrating new technology into existing care routines. The ROBETHICS project aimed to understand healthcare professionals' perspectives on IPRS and develop ethical guidelines for their use.Keywords: social robots, geriatrics, ethical challenges, psychosocial interventions, cognitive impairment, training
S. Dacunha, C. Ware, A. S. Rigaud, M. Pino (2024). Ethical challenges in integrating social robots in geriatric care: Development and assessment of an educational module for health and social care professionals. Gerontechnology, 23(2), 2-2
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2024.23.s.1105.2.sp