Next Avenue spoke to USC Leonard Davis School Professor Elizabeth Zelinski about the pros and cons of robotic pets for older adults, especially individuals with memory problems.
From the article:
Zelinski believes that for the older adult to have a therapeutic benefit, stimulation from the pet who provides some novelty is helpful. But just having pets may not always be enough. The ability to have the pet spur conversation and interaction with others is a component of what some studies believe is most valuable to the individual.
“Supplementing pet interactions — whether real or robotic — with human interaction is also important,” Zelinski said.
