By Cheah Chia Wei
Recently I had to go to the hospital for a routine check-up. I can see many elderly (above 60 years old) are accompanied by a family member, there are also a few who came on their own. I can’t help thinking how I will be when i reach to that age…
In the future, the job scope of the young generation can be to chaperone these elderly: driving them to the hospital, accompanying them to see dr (ensure all information is taken down), collecting medicine from the pharmacy, and finally a good lunch before sending the elderly home.
Unfortunately, this kind of chaperone service will come with a cost that not many can afford. Non-profit organisations provide these kinds of services, but they also face manpower issues.
We can take preventive measures as we enter old age.
If possible, we should try to keep a fit and healthy body, be independent, so we will be able to move around on our own and have minimal dependency on others.
Prevent falls, regular exercise to keep core muscles to maintain good body coordination, stay alert by doing brain games. Another way is to join the local elders club to have a group of friends who can accompany each other on trips to the hospital. A circle of friends not only comes in handy for companionship, they also serve as your support group (when the better half passes away)
Besides physical fitness, mental sanity is another crucial aspect one needs to maintain in order to age gracefully. Depression and excessive worry can affect sleep and be detrimental to overall health. Staying active and having contact with friends are some of the ways to keep our mental health in check.
As I was writing this, I remembered watching a short film about an old lady who was given a robot companion, because her own children could not accompany her. She does her daily routine with the robot by her side. When his batteries finished, she changed them and the robot continued to function normally. One day, when the time had finally come for the lady to go, the robot tried to “change” her batteries by putting them into the pocket of her apron, but the robot could not revive her. I couldn’t help feeling sad because this robot actually developed a human connection with its master.
So probably this will become the future, the robot will function as the nanny/caregiver for both the young and the olds. And this might eliminate the occurrence of abusive cases by the domestic maids, provided the robots are functioning well as they were programmed to function. With advancements in technology, robots will appear very human-like and even be able to produce human touch and warmth!
There are already a few of these humanoid robots being used in providing care for the elderly, such as Sophia, Paro and Pepper. While these robots are capable of physical care, they are still not able to provide for the complex emotional needs. However, this will soon be overcome as technology evolves. A study by a Korean group published in 2023 has shown the potential of chatbot-assisted mental health support. The study participants expressed that chat box is a safe space where they can openly share emotional states such as sadness or depression without the fear of being judged. In the future, it is for sure a collaboration between human and robot when providing care for both the very young and the old one, and hopefully at an affordable price for the general.
As we embrace the convenience technology brings about, let’s also try to maintain physical human interactions to achieve a healthy balance between technology and genuine human-human connection.
Dr Cheah Chia Wei is a Dental Lecturer at the Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya
