Risks

Reduced human contact

One of the problems of human aging is that it often leads to a great reduction or loss of social life and interpersonal communication. The use of nursing robots is worrying. The use of robots in elderly care to perform tasks such as lifting things, carrying objects, and even cleaning the room, interacting with friends and family, or having dinner together, will lead to the elderly experiencing reduced human social contact. For example, if robots are used for tasks such as cleaning floors, this will eliminate valuable opportunities for social interaction between cleaners and the elderly. Using robots to take care of the elderly may be convenient, but it will eliminate the need for detailed and caring interactions with people.

Evidence suggests that reducing human contact and the isolation of elderly people may raise the likelihood of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease. It is critical that the elderly have intellectual stimulation and social connection in order to lessen their chances of developing these mental diseases. Human contact has also been demonstrated to lessen stress levels, therefore it is crucial for the elderly to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The risk of using a robotic companion, such as the interactive robot - pepper, may increase the user's chances of social isolation. Friends and family may believe that the robot fulfils the elderly person's needs, which may decrease human contact, making the elderly person more prone to stress and having an increased risk of developing a mental illness.