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How Robots Could Bridge the Elder-care Gap

Accepted submission by Phoenix666 at 2017-08-28 19:27:57
Science

Despite innovations that make it easier for seniors to keep living on their own rather than moving into special facilities, most elderly people eventually need a hand with chores and other everyday activities.

Friends and relatives often can't do all the work. Growing evidence indicates it's neither sustainable nor healthy for seniors or their loved ones [nih.gov]. Yet demand for professional caregivers already far outstrips [thestreet.com] supply, and experts say this workforce shortage [reuters.com] will only get worse.

So how will our society bridge this elder-care gap? In a word, robots.

Just as automation has begun to do jobs previously seen as uniquely suited for humans, like retrieving goods from warehouses [businessinsider.com], robots will assist your elderly relatives [phys.org].

Would you entrust grandma to Johnny 5 [wikipedia.org]?


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