Task and Design Requirements for an Affordable Mobile Service Robot for Elder Care in an All-Inclusive Care for Elders Assisted-Living Setting

The high cost of elder care combined with the shortage of caregivers lead us to consider how service robots can be affordably leveraged to support the independence of elders and the work of their caregivers and clinicians. Our objective is to gain design insight into tasks older adults desire to accomplish daily in a low-resource, assisted living setting and how an affordable service robot could suit. A need-finding design approach consisting of focus groups and surveys was completed with three stakeholders groups: Elders, Clinicians, and Caregivers. Stakeholders were asked to identify and then prioritize service tasks by importance and frustration. Thirty-six unique high priority tasks were identified. Instrumental activities of daily living, a desire to have their preferences known, leisure activities, and increased opportunities for socialization were the most important tasks that the elders wanted a low-cost mobile service robot to address. Clinicians and caregivers prioritized highly safety-related reminders and assistance in complying with care plans in assessment of elder task needs. Service robots exist that do some, but not all of these desired tasks. An effective and affordable service robot requires design trade-offs in terms of cost, preference and complexity. A low-cost robot targeting reminders, companion walking, hydration and fetching assistance was suggested as an initial prototype. Prototypes may address high priority desires of all stakeholders, but robots that can intervene and affect long-lasting changes in elder care are still needed.