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Safe Implementation of Companion Robots in Dutch Elderly Homes. Subtitle: Analysing the suitability of companion robots'implementation regulation for daily elderly care practices.

Avest, M.E.B. ter (2019) Safe Implementation of Companion Robots in Dutch Elderly Homes. Subtitle: Analysing the suitability of companion robots'implementation regulation for daily elderly care practices.

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Abstract:This thesis explores how Dutch elderly homes can implement social companion robots into their care programme while safeguarding elders’ quality of life and care. This topic is constructed from the desire to decrease elderly homes’ aversion towards implementing companion robots into their care programme. Reducing this aversion can help more elderly homes to implement the robots into their care programme and enables the use of a valuable tool for maintaining and/or increasing elders’ quality of life and care. To discover how companion robots can be safely implemented in Dutch elderly homes, both a content analysis on literature and interviews were conducted. The literature analysis focused on currently available regulation for companion robots and ethical concerns surrounding them, while simultaneously discovering how these elements relate to elders’ quality of life and care. If quality of life and/or care appeared to be endangered, suggestions to improve these conditions were elaborated upon. The information derived from this analysis served as input for interviews conducted with Dutch health care professionals. During these interviews, the professionals were questioned about their current experience with the robots, their knowledge of the companion robots, and the policies they adhered to concerning companion robots. Furthermore, their opinions were asked about the suitability of the discovered regulatory framework and the suggested improvements. How the currently available regulation and the suggested safety improvements relate to elderly home practices was analysed during the interview analysis. The conclusion of this interview analysis informs us of which currently available regulation and which safety measures are suitable for Dutch elderly care and comply with the aim to safeguard elders’ quality of life and care. The outcome of this research then shows which currently available regulation and safety measures are advised to be adhered to by Dutch elderly care homes to implement companion robots safely into their care programs.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:02 science and culture in general, 70 social sciences in general, 88 social and public administration
Programme:Public Administration MSc (60020)
Keywords:Social companion robots, Elders, Elderly homes, Quality of life, Quality of care, Regulation
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/78798
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