Mental Health Problems of Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Effects, Recommendations and Healthcare Robot-Mediated Therapy

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, declared as a major public health emergency, profoundly affected the mental health of older adults. Several studies have provided reasonable recommendations to alleviate these effects. A vital role was played by healthcare robots in providing the psychosocial care to the older adults. This review analyzes relevant studies and addresses the research progress on the effects, recommendations, and robot-mediated therapy to alleviate mental health problems developed among older adults during the pandemic. Social robots can provide strong support for mental health.