Employing a care ethics lens to examine the use of socially assistive robots in meeting the social and cognitive needs of older adults

Hewitt, Rachel Elizabeth Eve (2023) Employing a care ethics lens to examine the use of socially assistive robots in meeting the social and cognitive needs of older adults. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Health systems globally are facing a crisis of care for a rapidly aging population. All countries face challenges ensuring that their health and social systems can accommodate this demographic shift. One proposed solution gaining substantial traction is the use of assistive healthcare robots. In particular, the category of socially assistive robots (SARs) is presented as being uniquely positioned to address the unique psycho-social care needs of aging persons. To date, ethical critiques of the use of assistive healthcare robotics, and in particular social robots, have not closely examined the purported care relationship between such robots and their users. Drawing upon the work of care ethics scholars, I argue that authentic care relies upon capacities inherently reciprocal and responsive in nature, which ultimately precludes socially assistive robots from being useful caring tools.

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