Tcare, Axxicom Thuishulp and Cordaan Thuisdiensten together with the municipalities of Amsterdam and The Hague and the Hague University completed a study on whether robot vacuum cleaners can help people with household help. The research shows that both people who participated in the research if the home helpers are positive about the robot vacuum cleaners. Nearly 80% of people also used the robot vacuum cleaner themselves between cleanings up to an average of three times a week. Home helpers indicated that they had more time to do extra cleaning or other tasks.

The research revolved around the question of whether robot vacuum cleaners are useful in home care and whether home helpers can save time with this. A total of 116 people participated in the study. Of the people who participated, 77% used the robot vacuum until the end of the study. 83 home helpers also participated in the study. The people who received a robot vacuum cleaner and the home helpers were allowed to jointly determine how they were used.

Positive experiences

The results show that it is safe and good to use robot vacuum cleaners in home care. Most people who received help liked the robot vacuum cleaner and were happy with how clean it got. Although no conclusions can be drawn from the study about the time savings for home helpers, they indicated that they had more time for extra cleaning or other tasks. A quarter of the home helpers experience their tasks as less demanding, but the regular vacuum cleaner is often still necessary.

Important insights

Ilse Lelieveld, project leader of the study: 'The collaboration between the three healthcare providers, the two municipalities and the university of applied sciences has worked well: the contribution of different ideas and experiences has taught us a lot. From the results we can conclude that the robot vacuum cleaner is useful in home care, but it must fit the person well. Not everyone finds the robot vacuum cleaner equally useful. That's why we've created a profile of who will benefit the most. For example, people who have a suitable home and who can handle technology well. We also see ways for improvement by providing clearer explanations to home helpers and by organizing the organization better.' Based on the positive results, the parties involved are considering how they can follow up the investigation.

Click here to view the research report.