KOCHI: If you hear an elderly man saying he can’t remember his wife’s name, he is probably not trying to annoy her. When senior citizens exhibit odd, at times, unreasonable behaviour, it is time for those supporting him to realise that they have stepped into the realm of ageing and associated illnesses. Instances of memory loss or confusion could be signs of dementia. To put it in IT terms, it’s more like files in one’s brain getting corrupted, thus disabling timely and factual retrieval.
UN Population Fund estimates that 22 per cent of the world’s current population will be tagged ‘aged’ by 2050. That is, as many as 220 crore people, a figure higher than China’s population. Middle and low-income countries are likely to burst at the seams.Though life expectancy is an indicator of socio-economic development, nothing can stop ageing. The process brings with it challenges like poor mobility, dimming vision, psychological distress and financial insecurity. Most people in this phase are found to experience a varying combination of these factors.
In the absence of a single, standard formula to address the woes of the elderly, a combination of concrete and abstract measures need to be applied to help the elderly. Financial independence, physical and emotional support, companionship, and protection from abuse are key factors in helping senior citizens understand and live through ageing. Till they are hospitalised, quality ‘home care’ or ‘home-like care’ is the way to go. One may also wonder about the role technology plays in helping the elderly.
The short answer is many, but not all. Even advanced countries like Japan have not been able to replace all human interface with technology. But, improved communication and social and mass media have helped reduce distance and be in touch with loved ones. Similarly, while getting prescribed medicines at the doorstep or scheduling doctor appointments have become easier online, feeding a patient or managing bedsores continue to be the responsibility of family members or a caregiver who has to be physically present.
Around the world, elderly care involves manpower, adding to the cost of living. So, the emerging trend – as demonstrated by Japan – is to blend technology and human hands. Pepper, a Softbank developed robot, facilitates physical activities, meditation or laughter therapy for inmates in many old age homes while caregivers lay tables, feed and administer medicines. For middle-income countries like India, there is an urgency to adopt such global practices to optimise our resources as well as cut the time and cost required for elderly care.
Home care with heart
In the absence of a single, standard formula to address the woes of the old, a combination of concrete and abstract measures need to be applied to help the elderly. Financial independence, physical and emotional support, companionship, and protection from abuse are key factors in helping senior citizens understand and live through ageing.
Pepper care
Pepper is a semi-humanoid robot manufactured by SoftBank Robotics (formerly Aldebaran Robotics), designed with the ability to read emotions. It was introduced in 2014. Pepper’s ability to recognise emotion is based on detection and analysis of facial expressions and voice tones. Robots have the run of Tokyo’s Shin-tomi nursing home, which uses 20 different models to care for its residents. The Japanese government hopes it will be a model for harnessing the country’s robotics expertise to help cope with a swelling elderly population and dwindling workforce.