There’s a growing level of awareness among older Americans and caregivers of some technology, and an increased willingness to use safety devices, according to a new study by AARP.

The study, “Healthy@Home 2.0,” asked two groups, people age 65+ and caregivers age 45 to 75, about home safety, monitoring, communications and health technology, and their willingness to use it. 

Caregivers tend to communicate with family and friends via email (81%) and use the internet to search for health information (71%).  While fewer people age 65+ use these tools, a large majority would be willing to use them if they were available.   

Interest in home health, safety and monitoring technology has risen among both caregivers and older people from the first time the survey was conducted in 2007. Caregivers are more aware than they were in 2007 of fall sensors and devices that passively monitor whether a loved one is up and moving around. About half of older people would welcome these devices and a quarter would like a device that wouldn’t let them forget where they were in the process of preparing a meal.    

Eight in 10 people would be willing to sacrifice some privacy to help family know they were safe, if it meant they could continue to stay in their own home.

As home health technology improves, one-quarter of caregivers (24%) are aware of stand-alone personal health and wellness devices like an electronic pill box and half (48%) would use it. Although they are generally more aware of health devices that interact with health care providers, their enthusiasm for those devices lags. 

“Home safety, monitoring, and communications technology are coming of age at a key time for a new generation caring for their loved ones,” said Jody Holtzman, AARP Senior Vice President for Thought Leadership. “This could be the first generation of caregivers for whom technology could provide seamless access to communications and real time information about how well their loved ones are doing as they continue to live on their own.”  

To view the report in PDF format, go to assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/health/healthyhome-11.pdf.

[Source: AARP]