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Cost Concerns Can Limit Stay-Home Technology
By
Michael A. Piekarz
Staff Writer
Two
new reports studying the willingness of people age-65 and over to
try adaptive technology that allows them to remain in their homes
for longer amounts of time has found that a majority of seniors shares
a willingness to try the new technologies, but widespread use still
faces an uphill battle.
The two reports, one from AARP and the other from the Center for Aging Service
Technologies (CAST) of the American Association of Homes and Services for the
Aging, concluded that seniors want to use technology to age safely in place.
The studies also found that caregivers believe some challenges can be eased through
technology.
The reports also found that both seniors and caregivers raised concerns that
factors associated with the technology such as installation and maintenance costs
act as barriers to the use of these new products.
The report, commissioned by the AARP Foundation, examined the attitudes of people
65-plus and caregivers towards technology and identified a willingness to try
technology like home security services, sensors to detect falls and devices to
regulate temperature, lights and appliances.
The AARP report also found that 75 percent of caregivers and 80 percent of those
over age-65 were willing to pay $50 or less per month for the service.
“The ground is fertile for the use of caregiving technology to flourish,” said
Elinor Ginzler, AARP senior vice president for livable communities.
“Almost nine in 10 older Americans want to be able to stay in their own
homes, and they are willing to use technology that can help them do that. Cost,
however, is the elephant in the room - how to pay remains a big obstacle.”
The report also discovered a conflicting perspective between caregivers and those
most likely to need care. Senior respondents reported a high willingness to use
this technology, but more than eight in 10 caregivers believe they would have
some type of difficulty convincing those they care for to adopt this new technology.
Large majorities of both caregivers and potential care recipients believe this
technology would make them feel safer, give them more personal peace-of-mind
and provide peace-of-mind for families and friends.
The CAST study focused on the categories of technologies that exist to ease the
burden of caregiving for informal and paid caregivers. These technologies included
devices to monitor activity levels, health conditions, dispense medications and
provide mental stimulus.
Monitoring technology includes sensors that can detect and notify a caregiver
if the person being cared for does not get out of his or her chair or turn off
the stove. Health technologies can monitor blood pressure, respiration and other
conditions in real time while the person is at home, reducing the need for doctor’s
visits and notifying caregivers immediately of significant changes.
Medication dispensers provide the appropriate medicines at the appropriate times
and remind the person being cared for to take them. Mental stimulus technology
includes computer games that provide social networking, brain stimulation and
even monitor cognitive abilities through the use of diagnostic games.
The CAST study used interviews with expert researchers who determined that factors
ranging from interconnectivity between different systems to usability, affordability
and the availability of technical support and training are keys to making widespread
aging service technologies more available.
“Our study shows that we can create a network of technology-driven services
to help elders stay at home and achieve better outcomes,” said Majd Alwan,
Ph.D., director of CAST.
“Technology can help create a new paradigm for caring for elders, and consumers
should be as aware of these options as they are aware of their cell phone plans
or cable television offerings.”
This page and its contents ©2008
Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
