According to the United Nations, the number of people over the age of 60 will more than double to 2.1 billion by 2050. And as populations continue to age, there are concerns that there won’t be enough young people in the workforce to meet the growing needs of health services.
In 2019, Ukrainian photojournalist Dmitry Kostyukov captured what seemed like a novel scene of an elderly woman interacting with a robot at a nursing facility in Jouarre, on the outskirts of Paris, where decision-makers were considering these challenges.
But Zora, the robot, was anything but a “futuristic marvel,” the photographer explained in an Instagram post. It was, in fact, “at the center” of an experiment in France to change care for elderly patients, Kostyukov explained.
Under the control of a nurse, the 58cm-tall robot can provide entertainment, support communication, and even lead exercise sessions.
“When Zora arrived at this nursing facility, a strange thing began happening,” Kostyukov said. “Many patients developed an emotional attachment, treating it like a baby, holding and cooing, giving it kisses on the head.”
While Zora Bots, the company behind Zora, believes its technology will help take pressure off staff by offering alternative ways of caring for an aging population, others think differently.
Some healthcare professionals and researchers say that replacing human carers with robots could risk further isolating vulnerable individuals or, at the very least, lead to infantilization, where elderly patients are treated like children.
Amusing, intriguing, or dystopian – however you view Kostyukov’s picture – the image went on to win the “Medicine in Focus” category at the 2019 Wellcome Photography Prize, a major photography exploring the intersection of science and society.
Now, the organizers of the contest are making a final call for entries to the 2027 edition, for a chance to win £10,000 (approximately $13,000 / AU$19,000). You can make yours at the official event webpage before 11:59 GMT on October 21.
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