It is estimated that by 2030 people age 65+ will represent 22% of the population. A large number of these individuals will be over the age of 75 years and need some form of care. Generally the probability of having a chronic condition, memory impairment or functional limitation increases with age. Currently about 22 million households in the United States are involved in providing care to persons aged 50 or older, and this number is expected to increase to 39 million in the next decade. At the same time that the population is aging, technology is becoming integral to everyday life.
In 2001, about 56% of households in the U.S. owned a personal computer (PC) and approximately 143 million Americans were using the Internet. Technology has also become more diverse and the variety of computer tools that are available has increased at an unprecedented rate. In the near future new interactive computer-based systems will provide increased ability to deliver and access information on demand, asynchronously and over long distances and to combine various media such as text and audio to meet the needs of user populations.
There are a multitude of ways that technology can be used to enhance the independence and well-being of geriatric populations especially those who are isolated or who have some type of mobility restriction. For example, technology can be used to enhance the ability of older adults to communicate with family, friends and health care professionals, to access information and to perform routine tasks. Telemedicine technologies can also be used for patient diagnosis and monitoring and delivery of health services. For example, telecommunications technology can be used for counseling or psychotherapy. Technology can also be used to facilitate health risk assessment and can play an important role in health care management and disease prevention. For example, computers can be used to deliver health promotion modules or to provide reminders of medication schedules or rehabilitation instructions. Finally, new technologies can play several important roles in the caregiving context.
This paper will discuss ways in which new and future technologies can be used to promote the physical and emotional well-being of older adult populations. To demonstrate the feasibility of using technology to promote independence among older adults examples of research projects in this areas will be provided. This will include studies that report technology-based interventions and methodological studies that focus on the development and evaluation of technology-based approaches to health-care delivery. The focus will be on telemedicine and telecommunication-based technologies. Potential barriers to the use of technology by older people will also be discussed. Finally, recommendations for needed research in this area will be outlined.
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