As in almost all aspects of our lives, artificial intelligence (AI) is seeping into the health care arena, including long term care for older people, either at home or in facilities. In hospitals, you’re beginning to see robots deliver pills or lunch trays and transport specimens to labs. And of course, there is the advent of robotic-assisted surgery (watch this video of a robotic arm peeling a grape to see how precise these surgical robots can be.).

In the long term care setting, you can see AI-assisted technology is changing the way care is delivered, patients are monitored and caregivers are assisted. Clearly, the introduction of sensors and monitoring apps for smartphones is heralding a “tech invasion” in long term care. By the year 2022, it’s predicted that the AI market in elder care will exceed $5.5 billion and that the long term care setting will be one of the most important places AI is deployed. And while that may portend problems and concerns (regarding privacy, machine malfunction or desensitization to the humanity of care, for example), these changes are inevitable. So the challenge will be to configure automation and robotics to enhance caregiving and free up caregivers to spend more quality time with patients.

It’s conceivable we may see the day when AI robots become round-the-clock helpers and companions to isolated seniors (take a look at this video to see one possible future scenario). But the more positive potential has AI-assisted products and even robots filling in for the mundane tasks of caregiving that require little emotional capacity or sensitivity. With declining birth rates, increased longevity and slowed immigration, we’re going to have to figure out ways to fill in gaps in available caregivers for our growing senior population. Writer Luke Dormehl posits that robots could be used to give caregivers some well-needed respite or promote more positive independence at home, as examples of the upside potential of AI technology. Already there’s an “off-the-shelf” robot from Norway that has usable arms and a rolling body that is meant to operate side-by-side human caregivers in a way to assist, rather than replace, the human touch. And for that animal touch and compassion? Take a look at this recent agebuzz post on high-tech robotic animals for senior comfort and companionship.