諏訪 さゆり

ABSTRACT Aims To synthesise the current research on long‐term care workers' perceptions (i.e., attitudes, concerns, and expected functions) of robot‐assisted care and their perceived effects of different types of robot‐assisted care for older adults in long‐term care facilities. Design Scoping review. Data Sources A search was conducted in July 2024 using five databases. Articles published between 2010 and 2024 on the perceptions and/or perceived effects of robot‐assisted care for older adults among frontline long‐term care workers in long‐term care facilities were identified. Additionally, the reference lists of the included articles were manually searched. Methods A five‐step framework that guided the development of research questions, screening of studies, and synthesis and presentation of data was adopted. Two authors independently screened and analysed the identified articles. Conflicts were resolved through joint‐discussions. Results Forty‐one articles were included in the review. Data were narratively synthesised into three categories: expected function of care robots, perceived effects of robot‐assisted care, and attitudes and concerns regarding robot‐assisted care. Subcategories were identified and presented in tabular form. Conclusion This review shows the physical, psychological, social, and practical benefits and limitations of different types of robot‐assisted care. It also contributes to understanding long‐term care workers' attitudes, concerns, and expectations regarding the function of robot‐assisted care. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Having a priori discussion with long‐term care workers about their expectations regarding using robot‐assisted care is needed. Improvements in the design and in the digital literacy of the workers are also necessary. Impact This review provides an overview of the perceptions and perceived effects of different types of robot‐assisted care among care workers in long‐term care facilities. The findings provide practical implications and highlight areas in need of further studies. Reporting Method Scoping Review (PRISMA‐ScR) checklist. Patient or Public Contribution No Patient or Public Contribution.

Abstract The implementation of home-care robots is sometimes unsuccessful. This study aimed to explore factors explaining people’s willingness to use home-care robots, particularly among care recipients and caregivers. Surveys were conducted in Japan, Ireland, and Finland. The survey questionnaire comprised four categories (familiarity with robots, important points about home-care robots, functions expected from home-care robots, and ethically acceptable uses), with 48 items assessing users’ willingness to use home-care robots. The responses from 525 Japanese, 163 Irish, and 170 Finnish respondents were analyzed to identify common and distinct factors influencing their willingness to use these robots. Common factors across the countries included “willingness to participate in research and development,” “interest in robot-related news,” and “having a positive impression of robots”. The distinct factors for each country were: “convenience” in Japan; “notifying family members and support personnel when an unexpected change occurs in an older person” in Ireland; and “design” in Finland. Therefore, developers should determine potential users’ willingness to participate in the research and development of home-care robots and consider a system that involves them in the development process.

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common cause of dementia and is associated with unique difficulties due to its characteristic symptoms. This study aimed to identify daily life changes experienced by people with DLB due to characteristic symptoms other than visual hallucinations. Semi-structured interviews and content analyses were conducted on 13 people with DLB and their 17 family members. Qualitative content analysis identified three categories of difficulties experienced by people with DLB in daily life: body discomfort, obstacles in daily life, and psychological pain. Participants experienced not only physical changes due to symptoms such as cognitive fluctuations, parkinsonism, and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder but also psychological pain related to daily life difficulties. This suggests the need for care that appreciates the unique experiences of people with DLB and includes psychological care to develop appropriate individual coping strategies, rather than focusing solely on alleviating physical symptoms.