Robot vac for elderly relative: genius or disaster?

[OhSoManyWaysForHerToSpendTheDay]

Thinking of getting a robot vac for my 75yr old aunt who is starting to struggle to keep up with housework. Any thoughts/experiences?

She won't get a cleaner yet and I hate to think of her struggling but I can't help her with house stuff. Like the idea of a robot vac roaming around doing the work for her. Is this a mad idea?

She lives in a little 3 bed semi, can still manage the stairs fine and can see fine so she won't trip over it.

What do I need to know? Will she be constantly on the phone asking me for help because it isn't working? <<traumatic memories of the new smart tv loom large>> Or will it make life easier for her?

I'd be more worried she would trip over it, a fall at that age can be catastrophic. I always remember reading one of those click bait things about doctors advice and one that stayed with me is when you get to your mid 60s remove all trip hazards because a fall when you're getting older can do so much damage.

Probably not a good idea, I have one but don't use it that much, there are still corners I prefer to mop wet not faff around with emptying the dust container.

Depends on the quality of the robot hoover. Also depends on whether she has lots of wires or obstacles on the floor that it can get held up by. Also depends on the type of floor covering in the house. Is it open plan or not? Will she be able to pick it up if it needs moving and also to empty it? Have you asked her if she wants one? I wouldn't be without mine. The one I have now is a combination hoover mop as I have hard floors throughout. I have had robot floor cleaners for about 15 years. I really like them. Don't forget the stairs will still need hoovering. Good luck.

I wouldn't be without mine , it's a basic model Eufy .
The only issue I have making sure nothing is left on the floor that it can eat, shoe laces , lamp / TV / charger wires .
My sight and hearing are fine but I have still been known to accidentally boot it . , perhaps see if you can but a flag or deely bopper type thing to stick on the top of your mums so it's a bit easier to see.

She will still have to bend down to empty it and clean the filters ( mine is fine for a week ) unless you go for a higher spec self emptying one.

I had one and it kept getting stuck in places, like in corners etc.

I went back to the hoover.

Love the idea of putting boppers on top of it. Already thinking up a selection of seasonal boppers for different times of year!

Hmm, sounds like it wouldn't be the solution I was hoping. She could empty and clean filters no probs but would not cope well with it getting stuck. Even if she could just move it to get it going again, she would want me to investigate why it got stuck and explain how I would make sure it didn't happen again...

House is largely open plan. Mix of hard and carpets. Would it get stuck on the edges of deep pile rugs?

You are very nice to want to help your aunt!

Like a previous poster, I too would be concerned about a robot vacuum being a potential trip hazard.

I'm pretty sure that robot vacs have improved a lot in the years since we've had our robotic vac.
I'm not a fan of it, at least the older one that we have.
There have been times when I've had to get up and tend to its incessant beeping which indicates that it is stuck under a piece of furniture and can't get out.
I pull it out and set it straight on its path, all the time talking to it like it was an errant pet.
It trundles off again and I go and sit down and it does very well until it gets stuck again between the legs of the kitchen chairs.
So I get up and I rescue it again.
It carries on but it is a pushy type, if there is anything fairly lightweight on the floor it will push it out of its way and when the cleaning is done I find myself bending down and rearranging things that it has pushed out of position.
I have to think ahead now, and move things well out of its path before it begins, and that is usually the best, but I still have to put items back in place when it's finished.
I do talk to it like it's one of my cats, which BTW robot doesn't bother now, now that they're used to it, they just give it wide birth.
On the plus side the drawer compartment in the robot is always full of dust bunnies and cat fluff, but personally I'd just as soon use a small vac or a broom.

I bet there are loads of boppers flags or perhaps cat type toys you could attach.

I have got a small fluffy 'fur' rug which it gets tangled on all the time so I only put the rug down when i am at home.
I have a much heaver tradition rug that it copes fine with.
Anything with tassels would be a disaster.

They don't much like deep pile rugs or carpets. Boppers on the top would either prevent it from getting u der furniture or the furniture would knock the bopper off. I love that mine can get under furniture and clean harder to reach places. No dust under my bed! Hurrah! As for getting stuck in corners, I have never had that happen. They have a memory and they learn the layout of the room/s over time. Various models have different methods of avoiding no go areas.

I love mine. Eufy X10 vacuums and mops, she would need to refill the water and empty the dirty water very few days but it can be programmed to clean so you could set it for when she is in bed so removing the trip hazard. It’s really quite clever at avoiding obstacles etc and mine has never got stuck. My older Eufy vac did tend to gobble cables and get stuck under things.

Thank you. So maybe Eufy X10 could work.

Any other recommended models out there that do not regularly get stuck?

I have a Eufy X10 and I love him. He never gets stuck, hoovers under the sofa where I can’t reach and does a pretty good job. Rugs are no obstacle he just takes a run up. He does need the water station attending to and his rollers cleaned fairly often. The main trouble I would see for an older person is that I do go around picking up the chairs and making sure there is nothing on the floor before he starts so would she be able to do that? The operation is mainly via a phone app so she might not like that. The app does tell you if anything is wrong so you don’t really have to self diagnose it.
if she hates it I guess you can keep it yourself

What sort of vacuum cleaner does she currently use? Mum got a lightweight cordless Gtech that she can still manage at 85 when needed between her cleaner visiting, although she finds the dust canister hard to empty. Might this be an opportunity to gently introduce a cleaner once a week/fortnight? Mum loves her chatty cleaner almost as much as me!