Robots for Care Homes in Ireland: Supporting Staff and Residents

Ireland's care home sector faces significant challenges: staffing shortages, increasing resident complexity, and heightened infection control requirements. Robots offer practical solutions that support staff while improving resident quality of life.

The Irish Context:

• 576 registered nursing homes in Ireland (HIQA)
• Average occupancy: 90%+
• Staff vacancy rates: 15-25%
• Agency staff costs rising 30%+ since 2020
• Enhanced infection control requirements post-COVID

Robots Being Used in Irish Care Homes:

Early adopters include care homes in Dublin, Cork, and Galway, with particularly strong interest from HSE-funded facilities and private nursing home groups.

Companion robots provide therapeutic benefits for residents with dementia and cognitive impairment.

PARO Therapeutic Seal

The PARO seal is a medical device certified for dementia therapy:

• How it works: Responds to touch, voice, and light with lifelike movements
• Benefits: Reduces agitation, anxiety, and wandering behaviours
• Evidence: 15+ years of clinical research supporting effectiveness
• Use: Individual therapy sessions and group activities

PARO is used in care homes across 30+ countries and is increasingly common in Irish facilities.

Tombot Jennie

The Tombot Jennie robotic dog provides pet therapy benefits:

• How it works: Realistic golden labrador puppy behaviours
• Benefits: Comfort, companionship, reduced loneliness
• Advantage: No feeding, walking, or allergy concerns
• Use: Residents who respond better to dog companionship

ElliQ AI Companion

The ElliQ is a conversational AI companion:

• How it works: Proactive conversation, reminders, games
• Benefits: Reduces loneliness, cognitive stimulation
• Features: Connects to family via messages, prompts activity
• Use: Higher-functioning residents, especially those isolated

Research Evidence:

Studies show companion robots in care homes: - Reduce agitation episodes by 40-60% - Decrease PRN medication use - Improve staff-resident interactions - Provide consistent stimulation when staff are busy

Beyond companion robots, operational robots address staffing and efficiency challenges:

UV Disinfection Robots

The UVD Robot provides hospital-grade disinfection:

• Use case: Room turnover, outbreak response, routine infection control
• Effectiveness: 99.99% elimination of bacteria, viruses, fungi
• Operation: Autonomous navigation, staff-free operation
• Benefit: Consistent disinfection, documented compliance

With CPE, MRSA, and other healthcare-associated infections a constant concern, UV robots provide peace of mind.

Delivery Robots

Delivery robots reduce staff walking time:

• Use case: Medication rounds, meal delivery, supply distribution
• Benefit: Staff spend more time with residents, less time walking corridors
• Operation: Autonomous navigation, multi-stop delivery routes
• Savings: Typical care home saves 2-3 hours of staff time daily

Telepresence Robots

Enable remote family connection:

• Use case: Family visits when travel is difficult
• Benefit: Residents connect with family more frequently
• Operation: Family controls robot from app, robot navigates to resident
• Added value: Also enables remote GP and specialist consultations

Cleaning Robots

Autonomous floor cleaning:

• Use case: Corridor and common area cleaning
• Benefit: Consistent cleanliness, freed housekeeping time
• Operation: Night-time cleaning, minimal disruption
• Types: Vacuum robots, floor scrubbers

For Residents:

1. Improved wellbeing
2. - Companion robots reduce loneliness and agitation
3. - More consistent care through operational efficiencies
4. - Enhanced infection control for safety

1. Increased engagement
2. - Robots provide novel stimulation
3. - Group activities with robot companions
4. - Technology exposure for cognitively able residents

1. Better family connection
2. - Telepresence enables more frequent "visits"
3. - Families reassured by infection control measures
4. - Photo and video sharing capabilities

For Staff:

1. Reduced workload
2. - Delivery robots save walking time
3. - Cleaning robots handle routine tasks
4. - More time for meaningful resident interaction

1. Less physical strain
2. - Robots handle repetitive tasks
3. - Reduced infection exposure with UV disinfection
4. - Support for challenging behaviours with companion robots

1. Job satisfaction
2. - Focus on skilled care, not logistics
3. - Modern, innovative workplace
4. - Better resident outcomes

For Operators:

1. Financial benefits
2. - Reduced agency staff costs
3. - Lower infection-related costs
4. - Operational efficiencies

1. Regulatory compliance
2. - Documented disinfection records
3. - Demonstrable innovation for HIQA inspections
4. - Enhanced infection control measures

1. Competitive advantage
2. - Marketing differentiation
3. - Family confidence
4. - Staff recruitment appeal

A thoughtful implementation ensures robots deliver maximum benefit:

Phase 1: Assessment and Planning (2-4 weeks)

• Needs analysis: Which challenges should robots address first?
• Resident suitability: Identify residents who would benefit from companion robots
• Staff consultation: Involve team early to build support
• HIQA considerations: Review regulatory requirements
• Family communication: Explain plans and gather feedback

Phase 2: Pilot (4-8 weeks)

• Start small: One robot, one application
• Document outcomes: Track resident wellbeing, staff time, incidents
• Gather feedback: Residents, families, and staff perspectives
• Adjust approach: Refine based on learnings

Phase 3: Expansion (Ongoing)

• Scale successful pilots: Add more units or robots
• Introduce additional applications: Try new robot types
• Continuous improvement: Regular review and optimisation

Training and Support:

We provide comprehensive training for: - Care staff: Day-to-day operation - Activities coordinators: Therapeutic use of companion robots - Management: Oversight and outcome tracking - Housekeeping: Operational robot management

Regulatory Considerations:

• HIQA inspectors are generally positive about appropriate robot use
• Document robot use in care plans
• Maintain staff-resident ratios (robots complement, not replace)
• Ensure resident consent/best interests decisions are recorded