AI robots may hold key to nursing care for Japan's aging population

Who wants to sign up to be dressed and bathed by a robot?

Looks like the kind of Aged Care you'd get on Tatooine.

There's your future : having robots change your nappies in the nursing home.

An exciting future to look forward to!

It’s both cool and horrifying at the same time.

Who wants to sign up to be dressed and bathed by a robot?

Like it or not this is the future..

And not only for Japan..

The development of robotics will definitely have a positive impact on Japan’s future. It’ll also help with issues like labor shortages from the aging population and the challenges of accepting immigrants.

Right now, I’m still pretty far from the age where I’d need nursing care, so I can look at this kind of news objectively. But if I ever end up being cared for by a robot, I’m pretty sure I’d feel pretty weird about it.

An alternative and obviously controversial solution gaining popularity is euthanasia. My father in law was kept "alive" for two years in a "care home" in what I would call a "living" hell. Living wills and safe guards need to be in place, several countries have moved in this direction.

Mr Kipling....I see a future where robots called "Hal " may have the solution you seek

I, for one, welcome our robot overlords...Kent Brockman

Hard pass

Who wants to sign up to be dressed and bathed by a robot?

Who wants to sign up to be dressed and bathed by a human?

It will never happen to me.

I wrote in my will not to take care of me if I cannot take care of myself because of age.

I will take the death pill before. I don’t want to make suffer someone else for no purpose, espzcially my family.

My grand father was hell in a vegetable state for 4 years, it made nearly die my aunt who was taking care of him.

I think we're a long way from a Hal-like voiced robot in aged care saying -

How are you this morning? Did you sleep well? It's beautiful day. That's nice sunshine coming through the window. Now I'm just going to carefully roll you on your side. There you go. Are you ok? Just a moment while we get rid of this soiled diaper. Now that feels better doesn't it? Now back onto your back. I heard you were watching the baseball last night. You must be happy the Giants lost. You know my nephew is playing now. He's really good. Ok let's try and sit up and have a sip of tea. It's smells nice doesn't it?..........."

Bladerunner isn't close yet.

Jonathan above...I agree with your sentiments but assisted dying not available in Japan , "death pill " not available and living wills of zero legal force in Japan.

Looks like charcoal briquettes mate.

We could double up and save money on the briquettes.

Zenkoukai has actively embraced new technologies, but the use of robots has been limited so far.

.

This will be the last job to fall to robotics as the variables are just too many and the cost is prohibitive.

Browny 1 .....my response to that "cheery good morning " would be...."just shut up, change me nappie and give me more valium "

This will be the last job to fall to robotics as the variables are just too many and the cost is prohibitive.

Likely. That said, 150k is the cost of the current iteration, which is about 3 years' salary of the worker it would replace. From year 4 it will have saved the healthcare centre money.

Bladerunner isn't close yet.

2001: A Space Odyssey

The Japanese anime, Roujin Z, dealt with this very subject over 30 years ago. (Spoiler alert: The AI nursing care device turns out not to be a good thing.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5i0JU_NsZU

At 52, I’m hoping that my care robot in thirty years will cook great eggs, have a sense of humor and play a mean gateball!

The Japanese anime, Roujin Z, dealt with this very subject over 30 years ago. (Spoiler alert: The AI nursing care device turns out not to be a good thing.)

"Every eight days in the decade to 2021, an average of one elderly Japanese person was killed by a member of their own family or committed suicide after killing a relative they were caring for, according to a study released this month.Dec 29, 2023"

https://www.praeventionstag.de/nano.cms/daily-prevention-news/details/8523#:~:text=Every%20eight%20days%20in%20the,a%20study%20released%20this%20month.

Mr KiplingToday 08:09 am JST

An alternative and obviously controversial solution gaining popularity is euthanasia.

Many people are not going to be competent to assess whether they happy with where their life is in a nursing home and no else should have the power to make that decision for them.

Geeter MckluskieToday 09:21 am JST

Who wants to sign up to be dressed and bathed by a robot?

Who wants to sign up to be dressed and bathed by a human?

Nobody, but given the option, I'll take the one that won't at a minimum knock me over and break my hip.

Ricky...I thought you were older.

I wish I was 52 again

That is ridiculous and only a theoretical option on paper. Most of the necessary age or other disabled person's care takes place separated, in single homes, apartments and such, not in a few concentrated nursing care centers for the wealthier part, especially when a shrinking and aging society has less to innovate, produce and sell globally, so no one will be anymore capable of going to such expensive care centers or to pay for the robot installment, their operating, maintenance etc. Of course there's also less younger staff available to handle all this, for example bringing a robot to a rural house, program and instruct it, monitor it 24/7 and intervene physically if something goes wrong or out of control. In sum, you need much more resources and also more staff than before with such a robot based or supported caring concept.

Robots have their important role especially end of life care when the patient is barely able to move.

But that time period of need is short while mobility difficulties can last decades.

To help with mobility issues intelligent exo skeleton robotics is far more important because it enables the user to retain independence and even productive role in society.

What happened to the test at Haneda airport where bus companies used them to help attendands load heavy luggage in and out of buses to protect their back? That was news about 5 years ago they must have made improvements to the technology!

Actually very far from real use. Obviously most people requiring caregiving won't (or can't) cross their arms or even bend their knees like that.

Recently in Tokyo an AI-driven robot leaned over a man lying on his back and gently put a hand on his knee and another on a shoulder and rolled him onto his side

Missing data. And the man said How many 'bucks' did that cost me. Can u whisper into my ear next time please!

In my opinion this is a glorified human spatula. I'm not saying it's useless. I'm pointing out that such a tool would be welcomed by the existing health care provider community to help them with the heavy lifting. No pun intended. They could the be able to work better and better focus on the patients other needs while prolonging their own health by preventing unnecessary injuries.

And who will clean, sanitise, maintain, repair, and provide supplies for these robots?

There is a lot of manual 'Back Office' support required.

Not for me thank you, the next question is does Japan have assisted dieing? May be someone who is terminally ill, doesn't want robotic help, if these robot become common in the care homes, I won't mention that I am constipated! Lord knows what would happen!

Would I want a robot looking after me when I’m old? No way Pedro. Anyway they might all turn against us like in Terminator before I get to that age. AI is dangerous, annoying and a total menace to our civilisation, not forgetting it’s destroying the environment.

Many people are not going to be competent to assess whether they happy with where their life is in a nursing home and no else should have the power to make that decision for them.

The idea is to make that decision BEFORE ending up in the "care" home.

But as GuruMick points out...

living wills of zero legal force in Japan.

So charcoal briquettes are an option. In a hot bath, bottle of Champagne.

Mr Kipling

I don’t understand the charcoal briquettes bit?

Mr KiplingMar. 2 11:15 pm JST

Many people are not going to be competent to assess whether they happy with where their life is in a nursing home and no else should have the power to make that decision for them.

The idea is to make that decision BEFORE ending up in the "care" home.

You're before ending up in a care home now. Are you ready to clear out to make room for someone else?

Long life is something precious, but as precious as it is. I personally would not like to have a human or robot change my diapers, I would prefer going home earlier than that or pray begging for aging with dignity and strength.