J Korean Soc Biol Ther Psychiatry.  2020 Oct;26(3):218-226.

The Effect of Care-Robots on Improving Anxiety/Depression and Drug Compliance among the Elderly in the Community

• Kim Yi
• Lee Hw
• Kim Th
• Kim Jh
• Ok Ki

Abstract

Objectives
：Community managements for elderly are changing due to increased social and economic burdens. The purpose of this study was to find out if there is an effect on depression, anxiety, quality of life, and life management by using a care robot, which is a future technology.
Methods
：For 100 elderly patients who visited the hospital with cognitive impairment or type 2 diabetes, we install a care robot between August 20 and November 14, 2019. The self-report questionnaire was used to measure changes in depression, sleep quality, quality of life, and life management among patients. In this study, 77 patients completed the survey were compared before and after the use of a care robot.
Results
：It was confirmed that the elderly patients using the care robot improved in terms of depression, sleep quality, anxiety, and life management. When the mean values of the scores before and after the care robot intervention were compared, there was a significant decrease (p≤0.001) in depression scale. In the sleep quality category, there was a significant positive effect (p≤0.001). In quality of life category, anxiety/depression showed a significant decrease (p≤0.001). In the life management category, there was a significant improvement (p=0.004) in the cognitive impairment group, and especially in the drug compliance, patients with the cognitive impairment group had a positive effect (p=0.01).
Conclusion
：For elderly patients, the use of care robots as a non- pharmacological intervention can help improve depression, anxiety and sleep quality. In particular, in the cognitive impairment group, it is effective in improving life management.

Keyword

Cognitive dysfunction; Diabetes Mellitus; Robotics; Dementia; Care