Kirsten Frederiksen
Papers
2
Total Citations
77
H-Index
2
About
Kirsten Frederiksen is a leading voice in the qualitative study of elder care and assistive technology, with a particular focus on the human and ethical dimensions of robotic implementation. Her research critically examines how technologies like robot bathtubs are received in Danish elder centers, moving beyond simple assessments of efficiency to explore the complex attitudes, values, and social dynamics at play. Frederiksen’s most cited work, a hermeneutic interview study (56 citations), reveals that staff, residents, and administrators hold fundamentally different, often conflicting, perspectives on robotic care—challenging the notion that such tools are neutral or universally beneficial. In a follow-up study (21 citations), she further demonstrates that the stakes of implementation extend far beyond purposeful rationality, involving issues of dignity, care ethics, and institutional power. By foregrounding these often-overlooked tensions, Frederiksen’s scholarship provides a crucial counterbalance to techno-optimistic narratives, offering a nuanced framework for understanding what is truly at stake when robots enter the intimate spaces of aging and care. Her work is essential reading for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, ethics, and the lived experience of aging.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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