Research Article
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Yaşlanan dünya nüfusu ve artan bakım hizmetleri ihtiyacı Bakım hizmetlerini kim sunacak? İnsanların yerini robotlar mı alıyor?

Year 2025, Volume: 4 Issue: 87, 1509 - 1536, 25.10.2025
https://doi.org/10.54752/ct.1704193

Abstract

Dünyanın birçok bölge ve ülkesinde nüfus hızla yaşlanmakta ve uzun dönemli bakım hizmetlerine olan ihtiyaç artmaktadır. Bakım hizmetleri tüm dünyada toplumsal cinsiyet eşitsizliklerine bağlı olarak esas itibariyle kadınlar tarafından aile bireylerine sunulan, karşılığı olmayan ve görmezden gelinen bir emek türüdür. Bakım hizmetleri piyasada para karşılığı sunulduğu zaman da esas olarak kadınlar ve göçmen işçiler tarafından üstlenilmekte ve düşük değerli emek olarak görülmektedir. Çalışma koşullarının zorluğu ve ücretlerin düşüklüğü nedeniyle bu alandaki işgücü arzı azalmakta, bakım işlerinde çalışacak sağlık ve sosyal bakım işçilerini bulmak giderek zorlaşmaktadır. Her ne kadar devletlerin bakımı bir insan hakkı olarak kabul edip bu alana yönelik sosyal harcamaları artırması BM ve AB gibi uluslararası örgütler tarafından tavsiye edilse de eğilim, hizmetlerin piyasa üzerinden teminini desteklemek yönündedir. Yaşanan işgücü açığını kapatmak için tartışılan çözüm yollarından biri, düzenli göç kanallarının açılarak nüfusu yaşlanan ülkelere daha fazla göçmen işçi getirtilmesidir. Buna alternatif olarak yaşlı bakımında robotların kullanımı giderek daha çok tartışılmaktadır. Bakım etiğine ilişkin kaygılar ve henüz maliyetlerinin yüksekliği nedeniyle robotlar çok yaygın kullanılmasa da bu alandaki şirketlere yapılan devlet destekli yatırımlarla üretimin hızla artması ve yapay zekâ destekli insansı robotların kullanımının orta vadede yaygınlaşması beklenebilir. Bu çalışma alana ilişkin literatür değerlendirmesine dayanmaktadır.

References

  • Badgett M.V. L., Folbre N. (1999) “Assigning care: Gender norms and economic outcomes”, International Labour Review, 138 (3), 311-326.
  • Bouget, D. (2008) “Convergence in social welfare systems: From evidence to explanations”, European Journal of Social Quality, 6, 109–126.
  • Chan Z.C.Y. , Tam W.S . , Lung M.K.Y. , Wong W.Y. , Cha C.W. (2013) “A systematic literature review of nurse shortage and intention to leave”, Journal of Nursing Management, 21, 605–613.
  • Coghlan S. (2022) “Robots and the Possibility of Humanistic Care”, International Journal of Social Robotics, 14, 2095–2108, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-021-00804-7
  • Council of EU (2022) Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on access to affordable high-quality long-term care (2022/C 476/01) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=oj:JOC_2022_476_R_0001
  • Di Nuovo A., Broz F., Wang N. Belpaeme T., Cangelosi A., Jones R., Esposito R. Cavallo F., Dario P. (2017) “The multi-modal interface of Robot-Era multi-robot services tailored for the elderly”, Intelligent Service Robotics, 11 (1), 109-126.
  • Eggleston K., Lee Y.S., Iizuka T. (2021) “Robots and Labor in the Service Sector: Evidence From Nursing Homes”, National Bureau Of Economic Research, Working Paper 28322 http://www.nber.org/papers/w28322
  • EC-European Commission: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Zigante, V., (2018) Informal care in Europe – Exploring formalisation, availability and quality, Publications Office, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/78836
  • EC-European Commission: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, LSE Consulting and Zigante, V., (2021) Social situation monitor – The role of new technologies in modernising long-term care systems – A scoping review, Publications Office, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/626467
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  • Florek K. (2023) ‘Carebots’ and the care crisis, Report for EPSU, https://beroepseer.nl/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/carebots_and_the_care_crisis.pdf
  • Friedman, B., Kahn, P. H., Jr., Borning, A., & Huldtgren, A. (2013) “Value sensitive design and information systems”., N. Doorn, D. Schuurbiers, I. van de Poel, & M. E. Gorman (Eds.), Early engagement and new technologies: Opening up the laboratory içinde, Springer Netherlands, 55–95. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ 978- 94- 007- 7844-3_4
  • Hussein S. (2022) “The Global Demand for Migrant Care Workers: Drivers and Implications on Migrants’ Wellbeing”, Sustainability, 14, 10612. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710612
  • Ide, H., Kodate, N., Suwa, S., Tsujimura, M., Shimamura, A., Ishimaru, M. and Yu, W. (2021) “The ageing ‘care crisis’ in Japan: is there a role for robotics-based solutions?”, International Journal of Care and Caring 5(1), 165–171.
  • ILO (2002) Care work: The quest for security, Authors: Guy Standing, Mary Daly, https://www.ilo.org/publications/care-work-quest-security
  • ILO (2024) Migrant workers in the care economy, Author: Eliza Marks https://www.ilo.org/publications/migrant-workers-care-economy
  • Johansson-Pajala R.M., Thommes K., Hoppe J.A. Tuisku O., Hennala L., Pekkarinen S., Melka H., Gustafsson C. (2020) “Care Robot Orientation: What, Who and How? Potential Users’ Perceptions”, International Journal of Social Robotics, 1,1103–1117, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-020-00619-y
  • Ley M. (2023) “Care Ethics and the Future of Work: a Different Voice”, Philosophy & Technology 36 (77), https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367451710_Care_Ethics_and_the_Future_of_Work_a_Different_Voice
  • OECD (2023), Beyond Applause? Improving Working Conditions in Long-Term Care, Paris: OECD Publishing, https://doi.org/10.1787/27d33ab3-en.
  • Persson M., Redmalm D. Iversen C. (2022) “Caregivers’ use of robots and their effect on work environment – a scoping review”, Journal of Technology in Human Services, 40(3), 251-277, DOI: 10.1080/15228835.2021.2000554
  • Pfau-Effinger B. (2005) “Welfare State Policies and the Development of Care Arrangements”, European Socities, 7(2), 321-347.
  • Pluyaud L., Souici S. (2024) Humanoids at work: are robots really at our service?, Special report HesaMag Winter 2024, ETUI, www.etui.org
  • Sharkey A.J. (2010) “Granny and the robots: Ethical issues in robot care for the elderly”, Ethics and Information Technology · March 2010.
  • Shishehgar, M., Kerr, D. and Blake, J. (2018) “A systematic review of research into how robotic technology can help older people”, Smart Health, Elsevier B.V., 1–18. doi: 10.1016/j.smhl.2018.03.002
  • Simonazzi A. (2008) “Care Regimes and National Employment Models”, Working Paper n.113, Universita Degli Studi Di Roma, Roma.
  • Sorell T., Draper H. (2014) “Robot carers, ethics, and older people”, Ethics and Information Technology, 16,183–195, DOI 10.1007/s10676-014-9344-7
  • Toksöz G. (2014) “Kalkınmada Görünmeyen: Kadınların Bakım Emeği”, A.F. Aysan, D. Dumludağ (der.) Kalkınmada Yeni Yaklaşımlar, Ankara: İmge Yayınları.
  • Umbrello S., Capasso M., Balistreri M., Rirni A., Merenda F. (2021) Value Sensitive Design to Achieve the UN SDGs with AI: A Case of Elderly Care Robots, Minds and Machines (2021) 31:395–419 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-021-09561-y
  • UN-United Nations (2024a) World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results. UN DESA/POP/2024/TR/NO. 9. New York: United Nations.
  • UN-United Nations (2024b) Transforming Care Systems in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals and Our Common Agenda. UN System Policy Paper. https://unsdg.un.org/resources/transforming-care-systems-un-system-policy-paper
  • UNIFEM (2000) Progress of the World’s Women 2000. UNIFEM Biennial Report. United Nations Development Fund for Women, New York. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2000/1/progress-of-the-world-s-women-2000
  • UNRISD (2010) Why Care Matters for Social Development, Research and Policy Brief 9, Geneva. https://www.unrisd.org/en/library/publications/why-care-matters-for-social-development-research-and-policy-brief
  • UN Women (2021) Beyond Covid-19: A Feminist Plan for Sustainability and Social Justice, https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2021/09/beyond-covid-19-a-feminist-plan-for-sustainability-and-social-justice
  • van Wynsberghe, A. (2016) “Service robots, care ethics, and design”, Ethics and Information Technology, 18(4), 311–321. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s10676- 016- 9409-x
  • Vogt G., König A.S.L. (2023) “Robotic devices and ICT in long-term care in Japan: Their potential and limitations from a workplace perspective”, Contemporary Japan, 35(2), 270-290.
  • Wright J. (2019) “Robots vs migrants? Reconfiguring the future of Japanese institutional eldercare” Critical Asian Studies, May 2019. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14672715.2019.1612765
  • Wright J. (2023) “Inside Japan’s long experiment in automating elder care”, MIT Technology Review, January 9, 2023. https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/01/09/1065135/japan-automating-eldercare-robots/

An aging global population and the increasing need for care services Who will provide care? Are robots replacing humans?

Year 2025, Volume: 4 Issue: 87, 1509 - 1536, 25.10.2025
https://doi.org/10.54752/ct.1704193

Abstract

In many regions and countries around the world, the population is rapidly aging and the need for long-term care services is increasing. Care services are a type of labour that is primarily provided by women to family members, is unpaid, and is often overlooked, due to gender inequalities around the world. When care services are provided commercially in the market, they are primarily undertaken by women and migrant workers and are undervalued. Due to the harsh working conditions and low wages, the labour supply in this sector is decreasing, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find health and social care workers to work in care jobs. Although international organizations such as the UN and the EU recommend that states recognize care as a human right and increase social spending in this area, the trend is toward supporting the provision of services through the market. One of the solutions discussed to address the labour shortage is to open regular migration channels to bring more migrant workers to countries with aging populations. As an alternative, the use of robots in elderly care is increasingly being discussed. Although robots are not yet widely used due to concerns about care ethics and their high costs, state-supported investments in companies in this field are expected to accelerate production and the use of AI-supported humanoid robots is likely to become widespread in the medium term. This study is based on relevant literature evaluation.

References

  • Badgett M.V. L., Folbre N. (1999) “Assigning care: Gender norms and economic outcomes”, International Labour Review, 138 (3), 311-326.
  • Bouget, D. (2008) “Convergence in social welfare systems: From evidence to explanations”, European Journal of Social Quality, 6, 109–126.
  • Chan Z.C.Y. , Tam W.S . , Lung M.K.Y. , Wong W.Y. , Cha C.W. (2013) “A systematic literature review of nurse shortage and intention to leave”, Journal of Nursing Management, 21, 605–613.
  • Coghlan S. (2022) “Robots and the Possibility of Humanistic Care”, International Journal of Social Robotics, 14, 2095–2108, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-021-00804-7
  • Council of EU (2022) Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on access to affordable high-quality long-term care (2022/C 476/01) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=oj:JOC_2022_476_R_0001
  • Di Nuovo A., Broz F., Wang N. Belpaeme T., Cangelosi A., Jones R., Esposito R. Cavallo F., Dario P. (2017) “The multi-modal interface of Robot-Era multi-robot services tailored for the elderly”, Intelligent Service Robotics, 11 (1), 109-126.
  • Eggleston K., Lee Y.S., Iizuka T. (2021) “Robots and Labor in the Service Sector: Evidence From Nursing Homes”, National Bureau Of Economic Research, Working Paper 28322 http://www.nber.org/papers/w28322
  • EC-European Commission: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Zigante, V., (2018) Informal care in Europe – Exploring formalisation, availability and quality, Publications Office, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/78836
  • EC-European Commission: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, LSE Consulting and Zigante, V., (2021) Social situation monitor – The role of new technologies in modernising long-term care systems – A scoping review, Publications Office, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2767/626467
  • EU (2021) Long-Term Care Report: Trends, challenges and opportunities in an ageing society, https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/484b0ceb-cd83-11eb-ac72-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
  • Florek K. (2023) ‘Carebots’ and the care crisis, Report for EPSU, https://beroepseer.nl/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/carebots_and_the_care_crisis.pdf
  • Friedman, B., Kahn, P. H., Jr., Borning, A., & Huldtgren, A. (2013) “Value sensitive design and information systems”., N. Doorn, D. Schuurbiers, I. van de Poel, & M. E. Gorman (Eds.), Early engagement and new technologies: Opening up the laboratory içinde, Springer Netherlands, 55–95. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ 978- 94- 007- 7844-3_4
  • Hussein S. (2022) “The Global Demand for Migrant Care Workers: Drivers and Implications on Migrants’ Wellbeing”, Sustainability, 14, 10612. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710612
  • Ide, H., Kodate, N., Suwa, S., Tsujimura, M., Shimamura, A., Ishimaru, M. and Yu, W. (2021) “The ageing ‘care crisis’ in Japan: is there a role for robotics-based solutions?”, International Journal of Care and Caring 5(1), 165–171.
  • ILO (2002) Care work: The quest for security, Authors: Guy Standing, Mary Daly, https://www.ilo.org/publications/care-work-quest-security
  • ILO (2024) Migrant workers in the care economy, Author: Eliza Marks https://www.ilo.org/publications/migrant-workers-care-economy
  • Johansson-Pajala R.M., Thommes K., Hoppe J.A. Tuisku O., Hennala L., Pekkarinen S., Melka H., Gustafsson C. (2020) “Care Robot Orientation: What, Who and How? Potential Users’ Perceptions”, International Journal of Social Robotics, 1,1103–1117, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-020-00619-y
  • Ley M. (2023) “Care Ethics and the Future of Work: a Different Voice”, Philosophy & Technology 36 (77), https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367451710_Care_Ethics_and_the_Future_of_Work_a_Different_Voice
  • OECD (2023), Beyond Applause? Improving Working Conditions in Long-Term Care, Paris: OECD Publishing, https://doi.org/10.1787/27d33ab3-en.
  • Persson M., Redmalm D. Iversen C. (2022) “Caregivers’ use of robots and their effect on work environment – a scoping review”, Journal of Technology in Human Services, 40(3), 251-277, DOI: 10.1080/15228835.2021.2000554
  • Pfau-Effinger B. (2005) “Welfare State Policies and the Development of Care Arrangements”, European Socities, 7(2), 321-347.
  • Pluyaud L., Souici S. (2024) Humanoids at work: are robots really at our service?, Special report HesaMag Winter 2024, ETUI, www.etui.org
  • Sharkey A.J. (2010) “Granny and the robots: Ethical issues in robot care for the elderly”, Ethics and Information Technology · March 2010.
  • Shishehgar, M., Kerr, D. and Blake, J. (2018) “A systematic review of research into how robotic technology can help older people”, Smart Health, Elsevier B.V., 1–18. doi: 10.1016/j.smhl.2018.03.002
  • Simonazzi A. (2008) “Care Regimes and National Employment Models”, Working Paper n.113, Universita Degli Studi Di Roma, Roma.
  • Sorell T., Draper H. (2014) “Robot carers, ethics, and older people”, Ethics and Information Technology, 16,183–195, DOI 10.1007/s10676-014-9344-7
  • Toksöz G. (2014) “Kalkınmada Görünmeyen: Kadınların Bakım Emeği”, A.F. Aysan, D. Dumludağ (der.) Kalkınmada Yeni Yaklaşımlar, Ankara: İmge Yayınları.
  • Umbrello S., Capasso M., Balistreri M., Rirni A., Merenda F. (2021) Value Sensitive Design to Achieve the UN SDGs with AI: A Case of Elderly Care Robots, Minds and Machines (2021) 31:395–419 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-021-09561-y
  • UN-United Nations (2024a) World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results. UN DESA/POP/2024/TR/NO. 9. New York: United Nations.
  • UN-United Nations (2024b) Transforming Care Systems in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals and Our Common Agenda. UN System Policy Paper. https://unsdg.un.org/resources/transforming-care-systems-un-system-policy-paper
  • UNIFEM (2000) Progress of the World’s Women 2000. UNIFEM Biennial Report. United Nations Development Fund for Women, New York. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2000/1/progress-of-the-world-s-women-2000
  • UNRISD (2010) Why Care Matters for Social Development, Research and Policy Brief 9, Geneva. https://www.unrisd.org/en/library/publications/why-care-matters-for-social-development-research-and-policy-brief
  • UN Women (2021) Beyond Covid-19: A Feminist Plan for Sustainability and Social Justice, https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2021/09/beyond-covid-19-a-feminist-plan-for-sustainability-and-social-justice
  • van Wynsberghe, A. (2016) “Service robots, care ethics, and design”, Ethics and Information Technology, 18(4), 311–321. https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s10676- 016- 9409-x
  • Vogt G., König A.S.L. (2023) “Robotic devices and ICT in long-term care in Japan: Their potential and limitations from a workplace perspective”, Contemporary Japan, 35(2), 270-290.
  • Wright J. (2019) “Robots vs migrants? Reconfiguring the future of Japanese institutional eldercare” Critical Asian Studies, May 2019. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14672715.2019.1612765
  • Wright J. (2023) “Inside Japan’s long experiment in automating elder care”, MIT Technology Review, January 9, 2023. https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/01/09/1065135/japan-automating-eldercare-robots/
There are 37 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Subjects Nursing Services in Social Policy
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Gülay Toksöz 0000-0003-3461-4193

Publication Date October 25, 2025
Submission Date May 22, 2025
Acceptance Date September 23, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 4 Issue: 87

Cite

APA Toksöz, G. (2025). Yaşlanan dünya nüfusu ve artan bakım hizmetleri ihtiyacı Bakım hizmetlerini kim sunacak? İnsanların yerini robotlar mı alıyor? Çalışma Ve Toplum, 4(87), 1509-1536. https://doi.org/10.54752/ct.1704193

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