The Unlikely Bedside Manner: Are Companion Bots a Comfort or a Crisis in End-of-Life Care?
The Loneliness Epidemic at Life's End In the twilight years of life, loneliness often shadows the lives of many elderly individuals, accentuated in settings like hospices or palliative care facilities. With the challenge of staffing shortages increasingly prevalent, personal interaction can sometimes be scarce, underscoring a quiet crisis in end-of-life care. In this setting of high need but limited resources, companion bots in end-of-life care emerge as a poignant symbol of modernity’s answer to an age-old problem. Socially assistive robots (SARs) promise significant relief in these facilities by offering company and basic care assistance to the elderly. These bots are not pulled from a science fiction scenario but are active participants in care routines today, designed to address both practical and emotional voids. However, introducing technology in such a sensitive phase of life brings with it a complex mix of hope, skepticism, and profound ethical questions. This isn'...