AI-driven Technologies in Elderly Care : Benefits and Challenges

Abstract

Rapid growth in the elderly population becomes an alarming concern worldwide since a significant increase in the older population incurs difficulties in delivering sufficient and equitable care to elderly citizens. The situation is further deteriorating due to the worker shortages in healthcare and a lack of an optimal healthcare system. To address this issue, nations, especially the developed ones, are now considering the incorporation of advanced smart technologies, e.g., artificial intelligence (AI), in aged care. In this context, this thesis explores the benefits and challenges of AI-driven technologies for elderly care. The study is grounded on Orem’s self-care deficit theory (TSCD), and it aims to explore which AI-based technologies are likely to be the most effective for elderly care during the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era. The reported study also points out the advantages, challenges, and ethical issues that come with the usage of AI technologies. The study addresses the technological components related to AI-based technologies and illustrates how those technologies can facilitate patient-centered care and impact the nurse-patient interaction. In this study, through a thematic analysis with a deductive approach, a literature review has been conducted based on 20 relevant articles retrieved from Springer Link, CINAHL, PubMed, Sage, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The thematic analysis reveals that while technological developments in the healthcare sector are realistic and have begun to be implemented, they are not solely advantageous. This includes ethical dilemmas and many other challenges that need to be considered while using AI-based tools. In essence, this thesis advances our understanding of an upcoming era in which AI is not replacing human care but rather complementing it through mutual assistance.