The increasing proportion of elderly people in society, together with recent advances in robotics, makes the use of robots in elder care increasingly likely. Robots in elder care can be used (i) to assist the elderly and their carers; (ii) to monitor the health and safety of old people, and (iii) to provide them with companionship. Although robots could be usefully employed in each of these areas, there is a need to ensure that they actually benefit the old people themselves, and not just their carers. We discuss a number of ethical concerns and argue that, if introduced with foresight and careful guidelines, robots and robotic technology could improve the lives of the elderly. They could enable more independence, and create more opportunities for social interaction.
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