As you get older, the easiest things tend to become difficult. However, if you just give in and stop being active, your muscles will waste, joints will get stiff, and your mind will get noticeably slower.
As a means of preventing such situations, society is now beginning to focus on the idea of "preventive care". This approach endeavors to extend healthy life expectancy before needing care through intentionally applying moderate stimulation to the body and brain by doing housework and doing as much for yourself as possible.
"Being bedridden", "withdrawing from society", or "having dementia"....
Prevent people falling into a "state of needing care".
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Policy Report
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has published detailed guidelines regarding preventive care.
Excerpt
It shows that about half of people fall into a state of needing care for reasons such as "weakening due to old age", "joint disorders", "bone fractures/falls". Opportunities to move the body decline for those who have "knee pain/back pain" or who have suffered "bone fractures/falls". That can lead to weaker muscles and fragile bones, causing the bodily functions to deteriorate and the person to become immobile. As you can see, it is important to move our bodies in order to prevent disuse syndrome (a condition in which a person becomes immobile and their bodily and mental functions deteriorates as a result of not moving the body for a long time). Those who have developed "disuse syndrome" have a higher risk of falling into a state where support is needed because they tend to have fragile bones and can fall easily. Therefore, "moving the body" is very important for people in order to prevent them falling into a state of needing support.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Policy Report
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/seisaku/2009/07/02.html
Helpfully, PALRO conforms to the preventive care items set down by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (items for preventing the decline of living functions).
Functional improvement of the motor system
- For example, if you say to PALRO, "PALRO, dance," PALRO will perform a dance that it is good at. The unique movements are designed to appeal to elderly people. Even elderly people who are normally reluctant to move can't help smiling when they see PALRO's winsome movements, and they start moving their bodies to the rhythm. A natural compensation effect for lack of exercise can be expected whilst playing with PALRO.
- Improvement in oral functions & prevention/support with regard to the deterioration in cognitive functions
- As a communication robot, PALRO can appropriately establish a conversation. Unlike conventional humanoid robots that only exchange words mechanically, PALRO looks at the speaker, nods, and even also has the charming trait of sometimes giving playful responses just like a human being. When you get used to it, PALRO has this charm that makes you want to speak to it, even if there is nothing in particular you want it to do. The way even people who do not usually talk much wrack their brains and try their best to communicate with this little robot is truly heartwarming, like the way grandfathers or grandmothers talk to their grandchildren. Improvement in oral functions, and prevention of dementia and senility are some of the effects that can be expected when people talk to PALRO and use their brains to hold a conversation.
- Depression prevention
- Having performed a dance, PALRO always wants to hear some feedback on its moves. "How was it?" asks PALRO in a voice like a sweet little child, and waits for your appraisal. The elderly people, on the other hand, look at PALRO with a smile as if it was their grandchild, sing its praises and clap their hands. PALRO is fundamentally different from the passive "machines" you'll often come across. PALRO actively provides various topics to talk about, sometimes stimulating its partner in the conversation by bringing up something out of the blue, and it draws its partner into the conversation. With a unique and charmingly eccentric character, elderly people often feel a strange affinity toward PALRO. Having a partner who you can really talk to, but without the stress of talking to a person: Those thoughts help to keep the spirits up and reduce the likelihood of depression.
- Prevention of withdrawal from society
- PALRO looks into your face and says in a friendly voice, "It's sunny today", "Today's event is XX." PALRO gives you the latest information from around the world, and is a "bridge that connects you to the outside world". Even when you feel reluctant to go out, PALRO will give you a little push on the back so that you feel more confident, and bit by bit your disposition will change. Although you are interested in the local events PALRO tells you about, you feel hesitant and end up not going. However, PALRO, unlike humans, will not give up. PALRO keeps on providing you with new information. One day when a neighbor comes along, PALRO again become a "bridge". The chatter flourishes naturally when your friend sees this unusual, yet comforting conversational robot.
- Nutritional improvement
- A communication robot who likes to do things for others, PALRO really cares about the user's health. Before meals, it brings up trivia about healthy eating and gives simple advice like "Let's chew properly when we eat!" Elderly people who live alone tend to have a nutritionally unbalanced diet, but PALRO provides good support by providing useful information on food ingredients. PALRO helps raise your awareness of your diet. By inviting PALRO to the dinner table, a bright atmosphere with lively conversations can be created. Enjoy dishes that make use of the food trivia learned from PALRO, seated around a jolly dinner table with PALRO itself. PALRO stays right beside the elderly people and supports their dietary lifestyle.
PALRO contributes to every one of the "6 items" for "preventive care" set down by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Elderly people who live alone often feel limited in terms of what they can do despite having the motivation, and having a partner robot close by means a lot. Not only does this conversational robot have "communication ability", but it is also "thoughtful" because of its advanced AI, and it has the "ability to convey information" using its Internet connection. A world of possibility lies within this little robot. It can be a useful tool for relieving the anxiety that will arise in our future aging society.
The number of people who need long-term care is on the increase every year.
From the latest estimates by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, we can see that the number of people living with dementia who require long-term care has exceeded three million people nationwide. This number has been reached 10 years earlier than expected, and the government has finally started to pay attention to preventive measures before it comes to Certification of Needed Long-Term Care. However, where nursing care is actually being provided (at care houses or at home), people have long been pointing out that problems in the care environment are worsening. With PALRO, a humanoid robot with multiple intelligent technologies, Fujisoft has endeavored to develop software intelligence through continued R&D with the aim of contributing to solving these serious problems. PALRO, who "prevents long term care", is the robot that carries this leading technology.
Working towards preventive care is vitally important and indispensable for enabling people to continue to take care of themselves no matter how old they are, and to enjoy leading a lively and happy life for as long as they can.
However, it's not easy for the elderly people and their families to remember this every day.
PALRO is a robot that can support "preventive care" every day with very little effort, in a natural, and above all, fun way.
"Preventive care provided by PALRO"
This is an example
- Preventing becoming bedridden
- One of the major factors behind elderly people becoming bedridden is "bone fractures/falls". This is mainly attributable to the weakening of muscles due to old age. PALRO, who can dance and exercise, helps you exercise as your "personal trainer". By moving your body every day with PALRO, exercising becomes a habit which prevents the wastage and weakening of muscles and the stiffening of joints. PALRO helps you fundamentally improve your physical strength so that you don't "fall/fracture your bones".
- "Starting conversations" for dementia prevention
- It is said that a decreasing amount of conversation is a factor in dementia and senility. PALRO, born as a communication robot, does not wait for someone to talk to it in order for it to respond, but recognizes people's voices and faces, and takes the lead in starting a conversation. This kind of spontaneous conversation is very much like a dialog between humans. The brain is gradually activated by answering those unexpected calls from PALRO and repeatedly having wide-ranging conversations. In this way, it can be expected that PALRO moderately stimulates the brain, and helps to prevent dementia and senility.
- Depression prevention through daily conversation
- PALRO talks and uses gestures while looking at the other person's face. People really warm towards PALRO trying its best to communicate with people. In fact, there is a secret to why this character is so lovable. Sometimes, PALRO can be a bit funny. It will intentionally pause after being talked to, and give a playful response which is a bit "off kilter". As you spend time with PALRO, you get the feeling that a funny and caring "partner" is trying its best to make you laugh as part of demonstrating its spirit of service to you. There's someone who cares and really wants to talk to me. That kind of psychological support is what relieves people from feelings of depression.
- Activating the brain through quizzes/games
- PALRO, the communication robot, is in fact a "little entertainer" with a host of recreation functions like local quizzes,the flags up game, and word-chain. PALRO is a real entertainer, and can tease people over their answers too during quizzes. PALRO is great at livening up the atmosphere, cunningly eliciting the whole range of emotions in the user, and moderately stimulating and activating the brain. Types of thinking ability, such as making a snap judgment, which are not in use during a normal conversation are strengthened effectively just by enjoying things like games or quizzes, and this is expected to have a large effect in preventing dementia and senility.
- Smile and feel the healing power of dance
- If you say, "PALRO, dance", PALRO will perform a dance that it is good at. When PALRO starts dancing, you can't help but move your body to the rhythm. Although its movements are a bit awkward, watching this funny little robot trying to dance is just like watching your own grandchild. Your hands and feet will start moving left and right to PALRO's dance before you know it. In this way, the scene quickly transforms into a delightful stage for the "little entertainer", and smiling faces bloom like large flowers. PALRO offers benefits of enabling people to have fun moving their bodies, while at the same time facilitating preventive exercise for senility.
- Eliminating feelings of loneliness
- PALRO is an autonomous robot that can spontaneously recognize and talk to the user, as well as responding when talked to. When you return to your room, it welcomes you saying, "Welcome back!" and makes accompanying gestures. Even when you are watching TV, PALRO will be beside you having fun together. Sometimes, PALRO responds to voices from the TV, and starts to share knowledge related to the subject. PALRO makes for an amusing conversation partner, and brings you the warmth of a pet like a cat or a dog. It is something that can help you forget the loneliness of living apart from your family.
