A new NHS pilot project will send Giraff robots into the homes of people with dementia in the Western Isles to prolong independent living.

By Mette Nielsen

The NHS Western Isles is just about ready to send in robots to the homes of people with dementia, who live in remote areas.

The specific robot is called Giraff and is 1.5 meters (4ft 11in) tall and has wheels to drive around on, and a TV screen instead of a head.

The idea is that a carer or a relative can remote control the robot from afar, making sure that everything is okay in the island house: If medication is being taken; if food is being eaten.  

Relatives come closer

The robot also has a video call function, where the face of the carer or relative will appear on the robot’s TV screen face.

“With an older population come both benefits to society and challenges in terms of healthcare, including an expectation that there will be a corresponding rise in the number of people with dementia. For some with dementia, it can at times be a lonely life, particularly if their relatives are unable to visit them regularly,” says NHS Western Isles Chief Executive, Gordon Jamieson, in a press release.

The Giraff can give a sense of presence of the far away relative, and studies from Australia have found that people with dementia have responded positively to the Giraff. They find the presence intriguing and are not frightened or intimidated by its presence.

Looking for candidates

NHS Western Isles is currently running the final tests of the Giraff, and are at the same time searching for suitable candidates to try the robot out one at the time, as the island project begins with one exemplar of the hi tech robot.

This will be the first time the Giraff sets its feet in Scotland, and it is a part of the European Union project Remodem, which aims to investigate ways to support people with dementia living in remote communities.

“We have high hopes for how the Giraff may improve the quality of life for some dementia patients. As a new technology for us, the robot could also potentially be used in many other areas of healthcare to improve quality of care, live access to specialists, and speed up consultations, regardless of location,” concludes Gordon Jamieson.

We ask you: How would you feel about having a remote controlled robot in your house?