Combating abuse for older adults

Examining the Impact of Robocare in Long-Term Care Settings

Bibliographic Data

ID6457298
AuthorsMengxuan Chen (0000-0001-9676-4598, Szegedi Tudomanyegyetem Department of Labour Law and Social Security Law, , Szeged, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume27
Issue4
Pages213-233
Publication date2025-05-05
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Adult Protection (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1466-8203 • E-ISSN: 2042-8669
PublisherEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/jap-12-2024-0076
OpenAlexW4410103293
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited93

Purpose This study aims to explore the role of robocare in combating elder abuse and protecting older adults’ rights within LTC environments. Design/methodology/approach This study explores the role of robocare in addressing abuse through a literature-based analysis grounded in person-centered care (PCC) and examines robocare through four key dimensions: respect for values and preferences, comprehensive care, autonomy and empowerment and transparency and safety. Findings Findings suggest that robocare has the potential to reduce caregiver workload, enhance autonomy and improve care quality while promoting safety and transparency. However, the absence of clear regulatory frameworks raises ethical and legal concerns. Ensuring care safety requires strong collaboration between caregivers and robots and the active involvement of older adults in the design and development process to help prevent new forms of ageism and ensure that robocare upholds dignity and human rights. Research limitations/implications This study has several limitations. First, it relies exclusively on secondary sources, which limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions about the real-world effectiveness of robocare in reducing elder abuse. Empirical studies are needed to validate the theoretical framework proposed. Second, the study does not focus on a specific geographic region, which may limit its applicability to different cultural and legal contexts. Future research should consider regional differences in LTC policies, technological adoption and ethical considerations. Originality/value The current research on long-term care (LTC) predominantly focuses on medical, policy, or technical aspects, with limited exploration of integrating technology, particularly robocare, with person-centered care (PCC) core principles to address elder abuse. This study makes a unique contribution by synthesizing existing knowledge through a PCC framework, explicitly linking robocare to core principles and provides a conceptual foundation for future empirical research. Additionally, the study highlights the need to bridge the gap between theory and practice, emphasizing the integration of robocare with human caregiving and involving the older adult in the robocare design to improve the care quality, thus offering new directions for future investigations in the field

Long-term care · Psychiatry · Term (time · Aging, Elder Care, and Social Issues · Elder Abuse and Neglect · Homelessness and Social Issues · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology

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