Robotic pets helping local seniors fight loneliness, anxiety
May 8—They bark, whine, purr, squeal and will even roll over for belly rubs, but these furry four-legged creatures aren't pets in the traditional sense of the word.
For local residents dealing with dementia, anxiety or crushing loneliness brought on by the pandemic, however, these battery-operated robot dogs, cats and kittens have proven to be life changers.
Susan Young, the receptionist for the Area Agency on Aging, Region X, "adopted" a bandanna-clad dog five weeks ago. She admitted at first she didn't quite know how she felt about the machine, particularly since she and her husband, Bob, already own a living, breathing golden retriever. Unlike their real pet, who is filled with energy and wants to chase a ball late at night, she quickly realized her robotic puppy doesn't require exercise, fetching games, food, water or the need to go outdoors. It quietly sits in her lap — occasionally letting go with a lighthearted bark or, if getting its belly rubbed, a contented sigh — perfectly contented.
"I'll walk into the house at night and we'll eat dinner, and I'll hear him in the other room go, 'Arf!' and then he won't say anything for a while. and then he'll go, 'Arf,' again, and Bob, my husband, says, 'I think your puppy wants you to hold him,'" she said. "So I'll go pick him and up and hold him, and he's very vocal. He'll bark and then — this sounds so crazy because he's a robot — but he'll look at me, blink his eyes and he'll make this contented sound. and sometimes he even starts panting."
The robot puppy has grown on Young so much over the past month that she's given it a name — Ruffy.
When asked if she sometimes gets tricked into believing Ruffy is a real flesh-and-blood creature, she shakes her head no: "Not totally, yet there are things he'll do, like turning his head or snuggling up to me, that feels so lifelike. You can pet him around the middle, and you can feel his heartbeat. He's just so real."
The puppy and the purring adult cat and kneading kitten models serve as the key components of a research project initiated by Assistive Technologies to see if these robotic pets can ease serious health issues in people of all ages, from social isolation to loneliness to poor social relationships, which are commonly associated with health risks such as depression, anxiety, suicide, heart disease and stroke.
Think of this therapy, said Megan LaDue, resource assistant for AAAX, as a modern form of the age-old pet therapy that eases anxiety and stress.
"They can soothe anxiety," she said of the robotic pets. "They have that calming effect with people. So when you get worked up or you've been pent up inside the house and can't get out and be around people or talk to friends, (the pets) can really help bring you back down, to de-escalate."
The main goal behind the pets, she continued, "is to encourage people to bond with the pets; the cats meow, vibrate when they purr, move their legs, ears, heads and torso — they even roll over for belly rubs. The dogs bark when spoken to, nuzzle, turn their head towards sound and have an audible heartbeat when they are stroked by a human hand. All of this helps people come back down" to a more relaxing state of mind.
"I need something to calm me down," Young admitted, pausing to laugh as one of the robotic cats in her lap began licking its left paw, "and my Ruffy does that for me. He is a comfort.
"After we've had dinner and I sit down to relax, we like to watch something we've taped, and that's when I set him on my lap. I'll pet him while we watch TV," she continued. "So someone who maybe has anxiety or has been very alone and needs (companionship), this would be a huge help to them."
LaDue said five dogs and a cat have so far been adopted out to area residents; based on the feedback she's received, "they seem to really be enjoying the companionship the pets are providing."
The dogs operate using regular batteries, which can last up to five weeks before changing, even if the animals are switched on the whole time. They are also reasonably priced: The kitten is $60, the mother cat is $110 and the puppy is $130. The pets can also be purchased online via Amazon.
"That is not outside of what many people can afford," LaDue said. "As of right now, there are still some cats available for adoption. If you know of an adult, age 18 or older, who lives alone and is able to recognize the difference between a robotic pet and a real animal, please get in touch with me as soon as possible. We would love to adopt one of these adorable sweeties to you or a loved one."
