An aged care facility in north-east Victoria is turning to robots to help with companionship for its residents during the lonely times of isolation.
Shepparton Villages' residents usually look forward to regular visits from four-legged furry friends.
But when the pet therapy program was stopped due to COVID-19 restrictions, staff with the help of technology, have found a solution through robotic companion animals.
The facility’s Jo Breen said the lifelike robots provided a calming comfort to the residents.
“They’re very lifelike and they do provide companionship for residents, particularly those with dementia and for those residents that might be immobile or non-verbal.
“They perform not only that companion role that pets do but they also help calm anxious residents and help redirect behaviour, so they are quite talented little things."
The facility has two resident companion pets — a cat and a labrador retriever puppy.
“They are responsive to touch so the more they’re petted and stroked the more they will interact with the residents."
Residents beam with joy
The animals can turn their heads, purr and bark, imitate licking their paws and open and close their eyes.
The facility initially had a trial with some of the pets, but Ms Breen said it was immediately obvious they were a welcomed new addition.
“They are very popular amongst our residents.
“The minute we saw them on some of the resident’s laps and the way they’re faces lit-up we knew that they were a bit of a winner."
Ms Breen said the pets — which ranged between $230 and $250 — had also helped the cat lovers among the residents.
“Residents began asking for visit from cats during our pet therapy program,” she said.
“You know what it is like to herd cats, bringing dogs into the facility is much easier because they tend to do as they’re told but cats will just scatter.
“So we were searching for a solution and stumbled across these.”
