機器人在社區照顧關懷據點應用與挑戰之初探研究

Preliminary Study on Application and Challenges of Robots in Community Care Centers

周宇翔(Chou Y.-H.) ； 王舒芸(Wang S.-Y.)

《福祉科技與服務管理學刊》 7卷3期 (2019/09) Pp. 262-279

https://doi.org/10.6283/JOCSG.201909_7(3).262

摘要

為了滿足日益增加的照顧需求，台灣自2005年於各地設置社區照顧關懷據點，建構初級健康服務網絡。雖然據點推動具有一定成效，但也逐漸面臨志工人力不足、高齡者表達需要更多陪伴與娛樂需求等困境。另一方面，隨著科技的進步，「照顧機器人」已成為許多先進國家（如日本）面對照顧議題的策略之一。不過，既有研究多半聚焦在長照或醫療體系的應用，少有研究探討機器人如何應用在據點。因此，本文將採取文獻研究分析法，回答以下研究問題：目前據點未滿足的需求及發展困境為何？機器人可以何種形式導入，以回應這些需求與挑戰？過程中，又可能遇到何種困境與挑戰？研究結果顯示，立基據點高齡者健康程度、據點活動屬性與未滿足需求，機器人可應用在「運動娛樂」與「陪伴問候」等形式，以減輕據點志工負擔、增進高齡者的心理陪伴、娛樂需求、參與意願及據點服務吸引力。不過，當機器人導入據點時，可能面對技術層面、社會環境與文化脈絡（如台語）以及機器人與人類角色互補或替代關係與社會正義原則等倫理議題。針對這些議題，本文除了立基「活動本質取向（nature of activities approach）」觀點，提出人類與機器人在據點應用形式的分工討論外，也提出機器人在據點應用之社會政策、技術研發、教育宣導與倫理議題等面向之建議，作為後續研究參考。

關鍵字

照顧機器人 ； 高齡照顧 ； 社區照顧關懷據點 ； 倫理議題

並列摘要

To meet the increasing demand for eldercare, Taiwan has established a primary elderly care network by setting up community care centers since 2005. While these have been effective to some extent, they are starting to face problems such as a shortage of volunteers and the elderly's need for more companionship and entertainment. On the other hand, with the progress of technology, ＂care robot＂ have become a strategy in many developed countries facing eldercare issues. However, current research mostly focuses on their application in long-term care and medical systems; few studies explore the use of robots in community care centers. This paper, therefore, employs literature analysis to answer the following research questions: ＂What are the current unmet needs and development obstacles of care centers? How can robots be introduced to address these needs and obstacles? What challenges and ethical issues may be encountered in the process?＂ Study findings show that, based on health status of the elderly, the nature of primary elderly care and unmet needs of elderly, robots can be used for ＂exercise and entertainment＂ and ＂companionship and greetings＂ to alleviate the burden of volunteers, provide companionship and entertainment to the elderly, enhance their willingness to participate in activities, and make community care centers more attractive. Nonetheless, when introduced to community care centers, the application of care robots may face technical issues, social and cultural contexts factors, and ethical issues, including the complementary or substitution relationship between robots and humans, and social justice principles. In response to these issues, this paper not only puts forward a discussion on the division of labor between humans and robots at care centers based on the perspective of ＂nature of activities approach＂ but also proposes suggestions for the application of robot in community care centers, including social policy, research and development, educational propaganda and ethics.

並列關鍵字

care robots ； elderly care ； community care center ； ethical issue