A kind of snoezelen - requirements for a therapeutic robot for older adults with dementia according to caregivers

Abstract

Robot-assisted therapy has been researched for more than a decade and has been dominated by the seal shaped robot Paro. It is however unclear unto what extent the development of Paro has been based upon requirements that are mentioned by care professionals. In this pilot study we interviewed two groups of healthcare professionals: one that has been using Paro and one that has not been using Paro. We asked both for the requirements that would suit the target group of dementing inhabitants best and what the relation between these requirements and the stage of dementia was. Results show small differences between these groups, a clear link to other activities and also a demand for more variation in usable pet robots. Moreover, all professionals expressed the need for guidelines for robot-assisted therapy and the exchange of experiences.