Robots for training carers, sensors that monitor people as they sleep and an app that can detect if someone is in pain – could this be the future of care?
The care sector is increasingly using technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to look after the UK’s ever-growing elderly population.
Despite this, experts have urged people to consider the potential risks of an overreliance on AI in the industry.
“AI can only be part of the solution but not the whole solution,” says Dr Caroline Green from the University of Oxford.
Ms Green, the director of research at the Institute for Ethics in AI, spoke at an AI in Social Care Summit at the university in March.
She pointed out how AI systems might be prone to biases, thereby exacerbating discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes. She also acknowledged the concerns individuals have regarding the sharing of their private information with these technologies.
“As of now, there isn’t an official government policy providing guidelines for the use of AI in social care,” Ms. Green noted additionally.
She said: “Whether it’s going to be good for people who need support, depends on how policy is going to shape up here, it depends on what choices people will continue to have in the future, or whether they can for example opt out of having AI in their care at all, it will depend on whether there is going to be a sense in which AI technology can take over care provision and human interaction.
It’s crucial to proceed cautiously regarding the options individuals will possess in the future and how the landscape of social care involving artificial intelligence might evolve.
Fall reduction
Thomas Tredinnick leads AllyCares, which employs sensors to keep an eye on care home residents’ rooms during the night, detecting any unusual activity.
It sends an audio recording of any incidents to carers on shift, who can then decide how to act.
Mr. Tredinnick spoke from Oaklands Rest Home in Southampton, where this technology is utilized. He mentioned that it helps staff avoid conducting routine nighttime checks, allowing residents to enjoy better quality sleep.
“The care staff are providing care to the residents that need it,” he said.
He asserts that this approach has decreased preventable health incidents resulting in hospitalizations since it identifies issues such as falls and chest infections at an early stage, preventing them from worsening.
Christine Herbert said her 99-year-old mother Betty is one of the residents being monitored by the technology.
Initially, she had doubts regarding the application of AI, likening it to a “baby monitor.”
She mentioned, ‘When my mom stayed here for the initial couple of nights, I requested regular check-ups due to my concerns.’
Mrs. Herbert stated that she became convinced about the technology once the facility provided her with information showing how her mother was being watched without disturbance throughout the night.
App for pain
In the Elmbrook Court care facility located in Wantage, Oxfordshire, they are employing artificial intelligence to detect whether the residents are experiencing discomfort or pain.
Aislinn Mullee, the deputy manager at the facility, stated: “It can be rather challenging to recognize pain in a resident who cannot communicate verbally.”
With the help of a ponsel pintar application named Painchek, caregivers can scan a resident’s face to detect signs of pain, respond to related questions, and subsequently obtain an immediate percentage score reflecting the degree of discomfort being experienced by the perorangan.
Ms Mullee mentioned that this change has had a significant impact and they have utilized the data alongside local GPs to determine the appropriate pain medications for residents.
She added it has also been used to reassure family members that a loved one receiving end-of-life care was not in pain.
Mrs. Mullee emphasized that the collected data was safeguarded with a password and accessible only to personnel at the facility.
Robot pelatihan
The researchers at Oxford University’s Robotics Institute are optimistic about using AI to assist caregivers as well.
Marco Pontin, a Postdoctoral Research Associate, is part of a group that has developed a robot capable of responding to human contact.
It can be programmed to experience pain in various parts of its body and will instinctively recoil if someone applies excessive force while touching an injured area.
The trial will involve students who are training to become occupational therapists at Oxford Brookes University.
Mr. Pontin mentioned that the group aimed to utilize it as a “digital counterpart” for actual patients.
It will be programmed under the same conditions as a human patient, allowing caregivers to “replicate scenarios observed in the real world using the robotic equivalent.”
He stated: “Given the continuously expanding elderly demographic, it becomes more challenging to attend to everybody personally. Thus, offering a digital replica of a patient might allow occupational therapists to understand each of their numerous patients’ situations without needing to be present constantly.”
Care challenges
Individuals are enjoying extended lifespans, and currently, there are about 12 million people above the age of 67 in the UK. This number is expected to increase to approximately 13.7 million by 2032.
A
a report released by the House of Commons library in March
stated in 2023/24, local authorities in England spent £23.3bn on adult social care, which was the second biggest area of council spending after education.
The sector’s reliance on workers from overseas is another big issue.
Home Office statistics
In the 12-month period leading up to December 2024, approximately 27,000 visas were granted to individuals entering the UK for employment in healthcare and social services.
This was a fall of 81% compared with the previous 12 months. The number coming to work in the sector had increased significantly after
temporary changes to the health and care visa rules.
“We’re reliant on migrant workers to keep social care going at the moment,” says Lee-Ann Fenge, professor of social care at Bournemouth University.
She said she does not believe new technology should be used as a way of filling the gaps in the sector.
She said “It needs to be seen as a tool that enhances the work that is already happening.”
She added time needed to be taken to “think about some of the ethical challenges” that monitoring people could have.
She emphasized that we must equip individuals with the knowledge to safeguard themselves, as merely promoting AI as fantastic and advocating for its widespread adoption is insufficient. It’s crucial to consider not only the potential benefits of AI but also the possible threats it might introduce.
In February, the UK and US governments refused to sign an
international AI declaration in Paris
, which pledged an “open”, “inclusive” and “ethical” approach to the technology’s development.
This follows the announcement made by the government in March indicating their intention to proceed with
“foster innovation through experimentation” methodology for financing artificial intelligence
In the public sector, to encourage innovation.
Each time reconnecting with Dr. Caroline Green, she advocates for maintaining a careful stance towards artificial intelligence.
“It can help with some of the administrative work, some of the operation of care, but it cannot replace that human touch,” she said.
“There is a potential risk that AI is going to be seen as a panacea to some of those very big problems that we are seeing in social care provision, namely that we don’t have enough staff, and that there is a growing demand from an ageing population.
I believe it’s essential to ensure that our investment in AI doesn’t overshadow the importance of supporting human caregivers and professional staff who can deliver quality care.
A representative from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) stated, “We aim to utilize advanced technologies to revolutionize social care services, and we’re witnessing encouraging advancements within the industry—from artificial intelligence-driven fall detection systems enabling timely assistance, to applications that streamline administrative tasks, allowing personnel more time to dedicate themselves to patient care.”
“Making better use of AI in social care is exactly the kind of transformation we’re championing in our 10 Year Health Plan – shifting from treating sickness to preventing it, from hospital to community care, and from analogue to digital solutions.”
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