{
  "id": 11850767,
  "title": "Do the elderly prefer robotic care?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/do-the-elderly-prefer-robotic-care",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-04T05:17:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Marginal Revolution",
    "slug": "marginal-revolution",
    "url": "https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2026/10/do-the-elderly-prefer-robotic-care.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The growing senior population in Japan, combined with a shortage of long-term care workers, has fueled interest in care-giving robots and information and communication technology (ICT). A study of 4,314 Japanese individuals aged between 55 and 75, conducted through a custom-designed internet survey, offers new insights into older individuals' perceptions of such technologies. Respondents chose between two identical nursing homes, one relying solely on human caregivers and the other incorporating robots and ICT for a key care domain, such as communication, monitoring, or mobility assistance. A majority of respondents (65 percent) expressed a preference for nursing homes utilizing robots and ICT for care provision. Acceptance of this technology varied depending on the specific care domain, with mobility assistance garnering the highest level of acceptance, followed by monitoring, and communication receiving the lowest approval. The willingness to pay (WTP) for a nursing home where robots and ICT provide a substantial portion of care was found to be 8 percent higher than the typical fee for a nursing home. Prior exposure to caregiving robots positively correlated with both acceptance and WTP, suggesting that information plays a role in shaping older individuals' preferences. Additionally, acceptance and WTP were strongly linked to attitudes expressed toward robots and ICT in the survey, providing evidence of the internal consistency of survey responses. The study's authors suggest that the potential benefits of introducing robots and ICT in care settings could outweigh the costs, particularly for mobility-aid robots.",
  "summary": "The Japanese elderly, to be clear: Population aging and shortages of long-term care workers have increased interest in care-giving robots and information and communication technology (ICT). This paper provides novel large-scale evidence on older individuals’ perceptions of such technologies, drawing on a custom-designed internet survey of 4,314 Japanese individuals aged 55 to 75. Respondents…",
  "key_points": [
    "65% of respondents prefer nursing homes using robots and ICT for care.",
    "Acceptance varies by care domain, with mobility assistance most favored.",
    "Willingness to pay for such technology 8% higher than typical nursing home fees."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The elderly in Japan appear willing to embrace robotic care, with most preferring nursing homes that use robots and ICT, and even willing to pay a premium for it.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}