Organizational, ethical, and social implications of socially assistive robotics in geriatric care: semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals and recommendations for future practice

Older adults represent a growing share of the population, with increasing dependency and neurocognitive disorders that intensify pressure on geriatric services. Socially assistive robots are increasingly implemented in geriatric settings to support reception, guidance, and activities for older adults, and to relieve some repetitive and logistical tasks for healthcare professionals. Their integration in geriatric care raises organizational, ethical, and social issues that remain insufficiently explored from healthcare professionals’ perspectives. This study examined how healthcare professionals working in geriatric care settings perceive the use of a social robot, and what they identify as benefits, risks, and conditions for feasible and context‑appropriate deployment. A qualitative study was conducted in three French geriatric hospitals. Fifty healthcare professionals interacted with a humanoid robot performing welcoming and assisting tasks for hospital users, and then participated in semi‑structured interviews. Transcripts were analysed deductively using the ethical, organizational, and patient/social domains of the European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) Core Model, and reporting followed COREQ guidelines. Professionals considered that implementing socially assistive robots goes beyond providing functional support, as it also changes how care is organized in geriatric settings. Robots were perceived as symbols of modernization that could enhance institutional visibility, but this potential benefit conflicted with concerns about costs in a context of staffing and equipment shortages. Feasibility was seen as depending on workflow redesign, clarification of professional roles, and adaptations to the physical and technical environment, often with continuous supervision for patients with cognitive disorders. Professionals stressed the need for dedicated support (including maintenance and a local referent team), strict complementarity with human care, and clear rules on data use, consent, privacy, and handling of sensitive disclosures. Anticipated patient reactions were described as heterogeneous and linked to both prior digital experience and cognitive status, underlining the importance of multimodal accessibility and human mediation. The use of socially assistive robots in geriatric care constitutes a transformation that requires organizational redesign, ethical safeguards, and sustained professional engagement. Their integration depends on complementarity with human care, robust governance, and contextual adaptation to support responsible and meaningful use. Not applicable.