Public Administration and Policy: An Asia-Pacific Journal Special Issue in 2028 – Facilitating Aging in Place with Assistive Robots: Co‑Creation, Adoption, and Policy Implications

CALL FOR PAPERS
Public Administration and Policy: An Asia-Pacific Journal Special Issue in 2028 – Facilitating Aging in Place with Assistive Robots: Co‑Creation, Adoption, and Policy Implications

Journal: Public Administration and Policy
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Submission Deadline: 31 March 2027
Expected Publication: September 2028

Introduction
Rapid global aging, care‑workforce shortages, and fragmented gerontechnology ecosystems are straining long‑term and community‑based care systems. Aging‑in‑Place (AiP) is preferred by older adults, yet limited assistive infrastructure, caregiver burnout, and familial burden concerns constrain its feasibility. Assistive robots—physically and socially assistive—offer potential to support daily living, enhance psychosocial well‑being, and ease caregiver strain, making AiP more attainable and dignified. This Special Issue focuses on assistive robots as a core enabler of AiP, emphasizing co‑creation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence‑based policy. It seeks to strengthen user‑centered design, adoption, and governance of robots in aging‑in‑place strategies.

Guest Editors
Dr Stephanie W. Lee 📧 (s.lee@cpce‑polyu.edu.hk)
Dr Tai Ming Wut (Edmund Wut) 📧 (edmund.wut@cpce‑polyu.edu.hk)

Suggested Framework / Topic Areas

Contributions are invited on (but not limited to):

Public Policy & Ecosystem Development

• Governance, regulation, funding, and cross‑sector partnerships for integrating assistive robots into AiP and gerontechnology

• Policy‑driven coordination of care, technology, and community systems

Critical Reviews & Research Agenda

• Syntheses of barriers and facilitators to robot adoption for AiP

• Policy‑ and system‑level research priorities across socio‑cultural contexts

Human‑Centered & Participatory Design

• Co‑creation with older adults and caregivers

• Aligning robot design with needs, values, and rights in real‑world services

Implementation Barriers & Policy Levers

• Infrastructural, organizational, socio‑cultural obstacles to home/community deployment

• Policy tools to address equity, access, and sustainability

Well‑Being & Caregiver Outcomes

• Impacts on older adults’ health, autonomy, dignity, and safety

• Effects on caregiver workload, stress, and role satisfaction (including harms/unintended consequences)

Technology Acceptance, Awareness & Trust

• Drivers of acceptance, trust, and sustained use

• Policy, communication, and capacity‑building strategies for equitable adoption

Caregiver & Frontline Experiences

• Role change, training needs, and everyday collaboration between staff and robots

• Human–robot interaction in AiP and community‑based care

Ethics, Privacy & Liability

• Ethical, privacy, employment, and accountability issues

• Data governance, consent, and responsibility in robot‑related incidents

Guidelines for Contributors

• Manuscript length: 4,000–7,000 words (including abstract, tables, figures, references).

• Abstract: Within 250 words, structured in four sub‑sections:

  • Purpose

  • Design/Methodology/Approach

  • Findings

  • Originality/Value

• Detailed formatting and style requirements: Author Guidelines

• Double‑blind submission via ScholarOne Manuscripts.

Submission Details

1. Submit via ScholarOne:
   🌐 https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/paap

2. In the system, select the special issue title “Facilitating Aging in Place with Assistive Robots: Co‑Creation, Adoption, and Policy Implications” at the appropriate step.

3. Send a copy of the manuscript to the guest editors:

   • 📧 s.lee@cpce‑polyu.edu.hk

   • 📧 edmund.wut@cpce‑polyu.edu.hk

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