Seniors are eager to pay extra for robot caregivers — at least in Japan. Americans may not be so keen, researchers fear

Japan is “at the forefront” of this, according to an analysis by the Center for Retirement Research (CRR) at Boston College. Back in 2015, the Japanese government began subsidizing the purchase of caregiving robots in nursing homes. By 2022, 70% of the country’s nursing homes were using at least one caregiving robot.

A more recent study found that 65% of Japanese respondents would prefer a nursing home that uses robots — though they were more keen on mobility-aid robots versus communication robots. And they were willing to pay 8% more for the privilege.

However, these results “cannot be directly applied” to the U.S. According to CRR, “Japan’s culture of not wanting to be a burden on others (“meiwaku”) may make older Japanese individuals particularly receptive to robot care.”

It’s still unclear whether a majority of Americans would welcome caregiving robots — a 2017 study by Pew Research Center found that just 4 in 10 Americans would be interested in having a robot caregiver.

But times are changing, and with an aging population, a caregiver shortage and fewer foreign care workers, robot caregivers could become more pervasive.

The cost of caregiving

The U.S. will see about 760,500 openings for home health and personal care aides every year through 2035, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Robots could help to fill that gap. And, while they don’t replace skilled nurses, they may be able to handle more routine tasks, such as providing medication reminders or monitoring for falls.

Not only could robots provide a solution in nursing homes and long-term care facilities that are facing staff shortages, they may be able to provide help for family caregivers.

About a quarter of Americans are part of the ‘sandwich generation,’ tasked with caring for young children and aging parents at the same time. Elderly Americans may also find themselves taking on the role of caregiver, caring for an ailing spouse or sibling.

That help comes at a cost: AARP’s 2026 Caregiving Out-of-Pocket Costs Study found that adult caregivers are spending, on average, $11,508 a year on caregiving — equivalent to 31% of their annual household income. Those costs are much higher for “high-intensity” caregiving, such as supporting a family member with dementia.

Getting outside help is also costly. The median cost of an in-home health aide worker is $35 an hour (as of 2025), according to CareScout. That’s still less than the monthly cost for an assisted living community at $6,200, or a private room in a nursing home at $10,798.

This can put an enormous strain on a caregiver’s finances. Some may have to take time off work for caregiving duties, which impacts their income. Or, they might have to take on a second job, dip into their savings or borrow money to cover those extra costs.

Could robots help?

There are different types of caregiving robots, designed for different purposes. Mobility-aid robots, for example, can be used in LTC facilities to lift residents from a bed to a toilet or wheelchair, rather than requiring staff to perform this task manually.

At home, monitoring robots could be used to track health metrics, movement and behavior, while communication robots could provide companionship, as well as friendly reminders (such as when to eat or when to take medications). This can take some stress off caregivers, but it’s not a replacement for human care.

“Communication robots may deprive residents of opportunities for genuine human connection,” according to the CRR analysis. When it comes to monitoring robots, “needs that the sensors fail to detect may go unaddressed.”