The Use of Socially Assistive Robots in the Care for Older Adults: A Socio-Historical Ethical Analysis

Because of a falling back of birth rates and because of the fact that people are living longer, several countries across the world are faced with a population that is getting older. In Belgium it is estimated that by 2050, 25.7% of the Belgian population will be 65 years or older. Together with an increasing shortage of formal and informal caregivers to support older people, it is justified to ask the question how person-centred care, care that strengthens the quality of life of older individuals, can be guaranteed.

Next to this demographic evolution, societies are also marked by their use of technology and their technological developments. It should not surprise us then that technology is being used in aged care. One of the technological developments of the last decade that is thought of to have great potential in aged care, is the development of robotics. We differentiate assistive robots from social robotics. Social robotics can be further divided into companionship robots and service robots. Service robots are also called socially assistive robots, or SARs, because they mostly combine a (physically) assistive function with social (sophisticated) capabilities. This project will focus on this type of robotics.

The use of SARs in aged care confronts us with a new vision of what aged care is, can and should be. The 'robotic solution' leads to several ethical concerns (privacy, objectification of the elderly, dehumanization of society and care,...). Ethical reflection and research related to this technological development has increased in recent years and starts from three different ethical traditions, principle approach, capabilities approach and care ethics. This research finds its place in the latter tradition.

The overall aim of this project is to formulate an ethical approach that can guide the reflection on the possible use of SARs in aged care. This overall aim is based on a dialogue between the perceptions of elderly themselves with regard to the use of SARs in aged care, already existing philosophical-ethical concepts and applied ethical argumentation. Because of this basis the overall aim of this project is divided into three sub-aims, each related with a specific research line. 1) The first sub-aim is to gain insight into older individuals' perceptions regarding the ethically sensitive issues in the use of SARs in aged care (empirical research line). 2) The second sub-aim is to gain insight into the foundational philosophical-ethical argumentation and concepts regarding the use of SARs in aged care (philosophical-ethical research line). 3) To formulate ethical considerations and recommendations with regard the possible use of SARs in aged care (applied ethical research line).

This project wants to be a contribution in the debate about the use of robotics, in overall technology, in care, specific aged care. By this, we hope to contribute to a better and more dignity-enhancing conception of aged care.