Monday, April 7, 2008

The State of Technology in Aging Services

In March of 2008, the Center for Aging Services Technologies released a useful report on the state of technology in aging services. Three groupings of technologies are cited: health and wellness technologies, safety technologies, and social connectedness technologies. We are reminded of the barriers to technology adoption, which include negative experiences and misconceptions, lack of financial incentives, lack of consensus on value, and inadequate infrastructure. The report concludes with several recommended actions, among which are supporting research on the value of aging technologies, involving older adults in product design, and designing new financial models which combine prospective payment and pay for performance.