Doggie Robot Eases Loneliness In Nursing Home Residents As Well As Real Dog

In a recent study from St. Louis University, researchers compared how residents interacted with Sparky, a living dog, and Aibo, a “doggie robot.”  Using three different nursing homes, researchers divided thirty-eight nursing home residents into three groups: one group played with Sparky thirty minutes a week, another group saw Aibo for the same amount of time, and the last group was a control with not interaction at all. 

After seven weeks, the residents were asked to assess how lonely they felt and how emotionally involved they felt towards either Sparky or Aibo.  Compared to the residents who did not receive any visits, both groups expressed an attachment to either Sparky or Aibo and less loneliness in their lives.  There was no significant statistical difference between the robotic dog and the living one. 

For the full article, click here.

For pet-lovers in a nursing home, it could be beneficial for them to have a robotic pet.  Not only does the robot take care of itself, but it can help curb loneliness and a lack of companionship in nursing home residents’ lives.  Even though it’s mechanical, it wags and responds to the people it’s with, allowing residents to feel connected with the dog.  Pets can sometimes be your best friend, and allowing residents to have a robotic pet may give them the camaraderie they need.  The article further elaborates that robotic pets with personalities may help monitor patients’ needs, such as medication reminders or sending out alerts for emergencies. Not only do these robotic companions give nursing home residents a friend, but they also have the potential to help save lives.