With technology revolutionizing nearly every aspect of our lives, it would seem that a variety of tech solutions, applied individually or in combination, could significantly enable healthy aging in older adults. For example, caregiver support technology exists to help manage medication, connect with service providers, coordinate communication, and more.
However, results from a newly released study from the Global Social Enterprise Initiative (GSEI) at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and Philips show non-professional caregivers are unintentional barriers to technology adoption and usage by older adults in their care – even though they acknowledge it can be an important way of enriching the care recipient’s life.
Among other findings, the study revealed it is not the caregiver’s lack of desire or ability that prevents them from introducing new technology to their care recipients, but are rather so overwhelmed with the day-to-day care responsibilities that they don't seem to have the time or patience to teach their loved one about how to use technology for seniors.
