Informal Caregivers’ Thoughts on the Design, Functioning and Acceptability of Assistive Robots in Home Care

Informal care provided by family members, friends or acquaintances for individuals with chronic diseases, disabilities or age-related limitations is becoming increasingly significant in aging populations. Providing informal care over the long-term may burden not only the caregiver but also the society due to its impact on caregivers’ health, quality of life and work productivity. Innovative, artificial intelligence-based systems and assistive robots may offer partial solutions for home care; however, little is known about their acceptability and users’ preferences regarding specific features. The aim of this explorative pilot research was to explore informal caregivers’ ideas about assistive robots for use in home care. Structured interviews were performed in a cross-sectional study involving 18 informal caregivers in Hungary. The Negative Attitudes Towards Robots Scale (NARS) was applied and care-related quality of life was assessed with the CarerQoL questionnaire. Results indicate a significantly positive attitude of informal caregivers towards robots in general and towards the application of assistive robots in home care. All participants expressed a willingness to incorporate robotic assistance into their caregiving duties. The most important mentioned assistive robot features were ease of use, safety features, and functionalities such as movement support and assistance with daily household tasks. The interviews provided novel insights into informal caregivers' impressions and preferences, particularly concerning emotional aspects associated with the appearance and voice of the robot. Our findings offer valuable guidance for the design, development, implementation and management of assistive robots, underscoring the need for a balanced approach that addresses functional requirements while considering the psychological aspects of human-robot interaction.