- Automated Comedy Machine Amuses Residents in Senior Living Facility
"Technological advancements are extending human lifespans, yet there's a scarcity of care workers in the strenuous realm of caregiving. Innovations like AI, robotics, and digitization might alleviate caregivers in the long run. Twelve exhibitors demonstrated this at Hannover's inaugural "Innovation Forum Care", co-organized by Diakonie and Lower Saxony Evangelical Association for Senior Care and Nursing (NEVAP)."
Sven Schumacher, NEVAP board chairman, shared, "It's a digital explosion in the realm of care." Diakonie, too, is backing the evolution of digital aids, such as the AI-aided care robot "Bearcover". This bot helps caregivers by detecting movements via doors and walls and alerting them when assistance is required.
A robot named Navel, from its manufacturer, is designed to provide companionship to patients. According to them, Navel, which costs around 28,000 euros apiece, uses technology based on ChatGPT to chat with patients and even share jokes. Since its launch this year, 16 of these devices have already been trialed in retirement homes and facilities for the disabled.
"It's wise to prepare," Diakonie Lower Saxony chairman Hans-Joachim Lenke said, considering the caregiver shortage. He suggested that the sector will rely on innovation in the future. Lenke added, though, that technology should supplement workers rather than replace them.
Lenke urged, "We critically need substantial funding for digital innovations in the care sector." He urged increase in government support, specifically for additional IT staff positions.
As per statistics by the Federal Statistical Office, the care sector may suffer from a lack of 280,000 to 690,000 skilled workers by 2049. Meanwhile, demand is also growing: from 1.62 million caregivers in 2019, it's projected that 2.15 million more caregivers will be needed by 2049, a rise of nearly a third (33%).
The nursing professions are greatly impacted by the digital explosion in the care sector, as shown by Diakonie's support for AI-aided care robots like "Bearcover". With a projected caregiver shortage of up to 690,000 skilled workers by 2049, nursing professions may need to embrace technological advancements to meet the increasing demand for care providers.
