The PARO therapeutic robot looks, feels and sounds like a baby seal. It will coo when you pet it and cry when you squeeze it too hard. It knows its name, and the sound of your voice. It can easily be mistaken for a real animal, and that's the point.
PARO is being used to treat dementia patients who have difficulty communicating with their loved ones and caregivers. Studies have shown that uncommunicative patients may respond to animals more easily than to humans. PARO offers all the comfort of a pet without the risk or mess.
PARO is a part of Passages Hospice's Passages Through Time dementia program. Passages is one of the only hospices using the PARO robot. They currently use four robots throughout Illinois and Michigan.
