title: Robot-assisted therapy for improving social interactions and activity participation among institutionalized older adults: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Animal-assisted therapy is gaining popularity as part of therapeutic activities for older adults in many long-term care facilities. However, concerns about dog bites, allergic responses to pets, disease, and insufficient available resources to care for a real pet have led to many residential care facilities to ban this therapy. There are situations where a substitute artificial companion, such as robotic pet, may serve as a better alternative.
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study used a one-group pre- and posttest design to evaluate the effect of a robot-assisted therapy for older adults. Sixteen eligible participants participated in the study and received a group robot-assisted therapy using a seal-like robot pet for 30 minutes twice a week for 4 weeks. All participants received assessments of their communication and interaction skills using the Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills (ACIS-C) and activity participation using the Activity Participation Scale at baseline and at week 4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 12 participants completed the study. Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that participants' communication and interaction skills (z = -2.94, P = 0.003) and activity participation (z = -2.66, P = 0.008) were significantly improved after receiving 4-week robot-assisted therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By interacting with a robot pet, such as Paro, the communication, interaction skills, and activity participation of the older adults can be improved. The robot-assisted therapy can be provided as a routine activity program and has the potential to improve social health of older adults in residential care facilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi College of Technology & Director, Taiwanese Centre for Evidence-Based Health Care, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Huei-Chuan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Shu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Mau-Yu
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Wen-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012371:Robotics; D058992:Social Participation; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted
keywords: Paro; nursing home; older adult; robot-assisted therapy; social interaction