Low-Cost Robot Pets Lift Mood Among Older Adults Receiving Family Care at Home

A pilot randomized trial by the University of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging found that a low-cost Joy for All robot pet significantly increased positive mood among older adults receiving family care at home, including those with dementia. The benefit appeared to stem not only from direct interaction but also from how the pet enriched the home environment and stimulated social engagement.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging, Department of Human Services, set out to examine whether a simple, low-cost robot pet could improve emotional well-being among older adults receiving family caregiver support at home. Published as a pilot randomized controlled trial in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, the study addresses a growing concern in aging societies: how to counter loneliness and emotional decline among older people living in the community, particularly when resources are limited, and caregiving burdens are high.

From high-tech robots to affordable companions

Companion robot pets have been studied for more than two decades, most notably advanced and expensive models such as PARO, which have demonstrated benefits in nursing homes and hospitals, especially for people with dementia. However, these devices are costly and largely inaccessible for everyday home use. Evidence for low-cost alternatives, such as the Joy for All robot pets, simple, battery-powered cats and dogs that respond to touch with sounds and small movements, has been far less consistent. Outcomes in community settings, and among older adults without severe cognitive impairment, have remained uncertain. This study was designed to test whether such a pared-down device could still offer meaningful psychosocial benefits in real-world caregiving households.

Testing the robot pet in everyday caregiving homes

The research team partnered with Pennsylvania’s Caregiver Support Program, which provides assistance and reimbursements to family caregivers. Between March and October 2024, they recruited caregiver–older adult pairs from Allegheny County, enrolling 53 pairs and retaining 50 through a four-week follow-up. The older adults ranged from cognitively intact to severely impaired, with about half diagnosed with dementia, while caregivers varied widely in age, health, and caregiving intensity. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a Joy for All robot pet immediately or after a four-week delay. Interviewers were blinded to group assignment, and all data were collected by telephone, keeping the study low-burden and pragmatic.

Clear gains in positive mood, not less distress

The main outcomes were caregiver-reported positive and negative affect in the older adult, measured using adapted PROMIS scales. At baseline, the two groups were similar in mood, health, caregiving demands, and dementia severity. After four weeks, however, a clear divergence emerged. Positive affect increased substantially among older adults who received the robot pet, while it declined slightly in the delayed-access group. In adjusted analyses, exposure to the robot pet was associated with an increase of just over seven points in positive affect, a statistically robust effect. Nearly half of the intervention group ranked in the top quartile of positive affect at follow-up, compared with only a small minority in the control group. Negative affect, by contrast, showed no significant differences between groups, indicating that the benefit lay in enhancing positive emotional experiences rather than reducing anger or irritability.

More than a toy: changing the social atmosphere

Caregiver reports shed light on how these emotional gains may have occurred. Many described older adults smiling, hugging, talking to, or cuddling the robot pet, sometimes noting that these reactions were rare and deeply meaningful, particularly for individuals with advanced dementia. Engagement levels varied, but greater involvement with the pet was moderately associated with higher positive affect. Importantly, caregivers also emphasized that even when older adults did not directly interact with the pet, its presence altered the social environment. The robot became something to show visitors, a conversation starter, and a shared focus that encouraged interaction with others.

Implications for low-cost psychosocial interventions

The authors argue that the robot pet should be viewed not only as an interactive companion but also as an environmental stimulus that reshapes social dynamics in the home. By introducing novelty and a socially engaging object, the pet appears to promote conversation and connection, which in turn may support a better mood. While the study is limited by its small sample size, short follow-up period, and reliance on caregiver proxy reports, it provides credible early evidence that even simple, affordable robotic companions can offer psychosocial benefits in home-based caregiving settings. The findings point toward the potential of low-cost environmental interventions to complement family care and highlight the need for larger trials to better understand how modest changes in daily surroundings can meaningfully improve emotional well-being in later life.