Telepresence Robots in the Context of Dementia Caregiving: Caregivers’ and Care Recipients’ Perspectives

Abstract

As a result of a rapidly aging population and the increasing prevalence of dementia among older adults, technological solutions are increasingly being considered to facilitate caregiving. This research investigates the perspectives of 20 caregiving dyads on VGo, a telepresence social robot with features designed to support caregiving. Care recipients (CRs), aged 65 and older, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, along with their primary caregivers (CGs), evaluated the robot through an online interview study. The interviews integrated informative videos showcasing VGo’s features and functions. Insights from the interviews revealed diverse expectations, interests, and reservations. The majority of CGs and their CRs perceived the robot’s features as beneficial. In particular, the voice command capability was appreciated as an alternative to using smartphones and as a way to manage home appliances. The community feature, however, did not align well with many participants’ lifestyles, and participants had a number of suggestions to enhance the robot’s notification function. Based on the interview results, the study offers a set of design recommendations for telepresence social robots in home caregiving contexts. This investigation highlights the promise of social robots in caregiving contexts and underscores the need for further improvements to ensure they fit users’ needs.