The Pennsylvania Department of Aging announced that the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman has incorporated two Padbots as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance communication with residents in long-term care facilities. Padbots are mobile robots that utilize a smartphone or tablet attached to a wheeled base. They are designed to safely connect ombudsmen with residents via video who may not be able to adequately correspond or who do not have their own communication devices.
The Padbots, dubbed “Addie the Advocate” and “Pete the PEERbot,” are part of a pilot program launched during the COVID-19 emergency. Ombudsmen control the Padbots’ movements and their faces are projected on a screen to allow personal, private interaction with residents without assistance from facility staff.
“Addie and Pete have been great additions to our ombudsmen’s arsenal. They really have allowed us to go into a facility safely and efficiently to connect with residents when face-to-face contact has not been permitted due to the ongoing pandemic,” said Department of Aging’s State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Margaret Barajas. “Our ombudsmen have received very positive feedback on Addie and Pete so far. They brought smiles to peoples’ faces and helped to lighten the mood of interactions that we have had with residents.”
The pilot program for the Padbots launched in Dauphin County, and the devices were purchased with funding from the CARES Act. The goal is to get two Padbots in each of the six regions of the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman.
“The COVID-19 emergency has prompted the Department of Aging to come up with unique ways to continue serving older Pennsylvanians, whether they still live in their homes or in a long-term care facility,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres. “Technology has proven to be more essential than ever, and these Padbots are just another example of how we can remain on the front lines in helping our vulnerable populations while keeping everyone safe. I am pleased with the positive results that Addie and Pete have produced for the Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, and I look forward to seeing these Padbots making their way across the commonwealth and reaching more residents in long-term care facilities.”
The program is partnering with TechOWL, a part of the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, to provide these Padbots as an option for facility visits. TechOWL will provide needed guidance and ongoing support for proposed in-person and virtual activities, particularly with the increasing cases of COVID-19.
