How would you feel about being cared for by robots in aged care?
This is a question I delight in asking people as it leads to robust discussions!
Everyone has an opinion and I have heard them all. Most people recoil at the idea of removing the human element from an already clinical environment. Robots in aged care can sound like a confronting concept. Others revel in the thought of a Jetson’s-style Rosie the Robot zipping about helping people with medications and cleaning and meals.
In the near future, technology is set to play a much more visible role in the provision of aged care services in Australia. From powerful comparison websites that allow the public to read reviews of individual facilities and compare their fees, to more ambitious possibilities, such as smartwatch-style monitoring devices and even robotic assistants who can follow nurses around facilities as they tend to residents.
Technology can enable administrative tasks to be completed more efficiently, freeing up care staff to engage in quality time with residents to better tend to their social and emotional needs. Technology can also play a part in minimising workplace injuries by assisting with manual tasks that provide greater safety for residents and staff alike.
During the past two years, when COVID-19 wreaked tragic havoc on the aged care sector, we saw an increase in the uptake of communication technologies; a technology that has been struggling to find its place in the sector. Tablets and video-conferencing software, such as zoom, skype, and Facebook messenger, helped residents to remain connected with family and friends and with the outside world, thus alleviating some of the challenges brought on by lockdown and isolation.
Future technologies will provide even more ways to benefit people living in aged care. Technology looks set to revolutionise the way aged care is delivered and will improve resident care, resident experience, and resident wellbeing. It will empower an ageing population to to feel safer, more secure and confident, and supported an industry rife with workforce, compliance, and operational challenges.
So, how would you feel about being cared for by robots in aged care?
Joseph Dimarco is the Managing Consultant of CareCFO. An accountant by trade, Joseph specialises in strategic consulting to the Aged Care and Disability sectors.
An expert in finance, governance, and business, he has worked with hundreds of providers to reach their financial and organisation goals and to ultimately fulfill their mission. To talk about your organisation’s needs, contact Joseph on info@carecfo.com.au or by calling 1300 07 55 11.