“Covid has created a bizarre world where nobody can hug anybody. The idea of a pet you can hold — a tactile experience — transcends that somewhat.”

Isolation particularly threatens people with dementia, who are less able to embrace online diversions and communication. From personal experience, know this to be painfully true.

Robopets for the elderly.

In These Isolating Times, Can Robo-Pets🐕Provide Comfort? As seniors find themselves cut off from loved ones during the pandemic, some are turning to automated animals for company, by @paula_span nytimes.com/2020/09/26/hea… via @nytimeswell #Covid19 #aging #dementia #loneliness