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Spring 2025
Spring 2025 Issue Technology: Reshaping Elder Care The future of care must focus on empowering people through innovation. The landscape of elder care is undergoing a profound transformation. As America’s population ages, with 10,000 people turning 65 each day,1 health care professionals face an unprecedented challenge in providing sustainable, quality care for older adults. The traditional model of aging support, which is heavily reliant on in-person care, assisted living facilities, and hospitals, is straining under the weight of increasing demand, limited resources, and financial constraints. This challenge is set to intensify, as the United Nations projects the global population of people 65 and older increase to 2.2 billion by late 2070.2 A new approach is needed. One that meets people where they are. One that harnesses technology not as a replacement for human care but as an enabler of deeper connection, better health, and greater independence. The Caregiver Support Crisis At the same time, caregiving has quietly evolved beyond the walls of the home. It increasingly involves managing responsibilities remotely. Recent data reveals that 59% of Americans provide care from a distance, but 40% don’t even self-identify as caregivers.4 They are booking doctor appointments between meetings, troubleshooting TV remotes over FaceTime, and managing medications via text, all while navigating their own daily lives. This is a problem hiding in plain sight. The Personal and Professional Toll The impact of remote caregiving extends far beyond time commitment and management. Two-thirds of remote caregivers (66%) report experiencing stress or anxiety related to their caregiving duties, while 29% note negative effects on their physical health. The social consequences are equally concerning, with 34% reporting reduced time for friendships and social activities, and 32% having to abandon personal hobbies and interests.4 In the professional sphere, the effects are equally significant. According to the same survey, 22% of remote caregivers require more flexible work hours or miss work entirely due to caregiving responsibilities, and 15% report missing career advancement opportunities, while 19% have contemplated changing jobs or reducing work hours to accommodate their caregiving duties.4 While there’s a lot of talk about the future of work, there also needs to be talk about the future of care. Because for millions of Americans, the two are inseparable. Building for People This is where innovation has the potential to fundamentally reshape care, making it possible for older adults to stay independent, engaged, and healthy at home longer. Consider the following: • AI-powered monitoring can detect subtle changes in mobility before a fall occurs. These advancements have the power to transform care, but only if designed with people in mind. The most successful solutions don’t ask users to change their behavior. Instead, they fit seamlessly into their lives. By reducing friction and removing barriers, aging in place can become a more viable and empowering option. Overcoming Barriers Research indicates that 25% of caregivers report frustration with technology solutions, finding them either too complex for their aging loved ones or inadequate for specific caregiving tasks. This has led to inefficiencies, with 60% of remote caregivers saying they’ve had to make avoidable in-person visits—often just to resolve technology-related issues.4 Why does this happen? The answer lies in several key barriers: 1. Complexity and Usability: Many technologies for older adults were not purpose-built for them. Overcomplicated apps and confusing interfaces can make solutions more frustrating than helpful. 2. Resistance to Change: Many older adults have used the same routines and devices for decades. Learning an entirely new app or device can feel overwhelming, leading to resistance. 3. Lack of Awareness and Education: Caregivers, already pressed for time, may not know what tools exist or how to effectively implement them. 4. Affordability and Accessibility: While AI-powered home monitoring and smart health solutions exist, they are often expensive and out of reach. To drive real change, solutions must be designed that are simple, intuitive, and accessible. The most effective technologies meet older adults where they already are. Partnerships with health care providers, employers, and policymakers will be crucial to integrating these technologies into standard care by making them both more accessible and more affordable. Removing these adoption barriers creates better tools, along with real solutions that can reshape aging for millions. Call to Action The future of aging support lies not in replacing human care but in augmenting it with smart technology that can detect health concerns early, encourage social engagement, improve medication adherence, and support cognitive function. These solutions can help identify issues earlier, resulting in significant savings for families and health care systems and letting older adults live longer and healthier lives at home. For health care providers, this means embracing technology as a partner in care, not an afterthought. For employers, it means recognizing the growing intersection of work and caregiving and building support structures accordingly. For technology leaders, it means designing solutions that prioritize usability, dignity, and impact. Caregiving cannot be viewed as an individual burden. It is a shared responsibility. If we leverage technology thoughtfully, we can transform aging from a crisis into an opportunity. We can empower caregivers with better tools, older adults with greater autonomy, and families with the reassurance that their loved ones are safe, connected, and cared for. The future of care must focus on empowering people through technology. With the right innovations, we can give caregivers the tools they need, ensure older adults maintain their independence, and reimagine what it means to age with dignity. That future starts now. — Ashish D. Aggarwal, PhD, is the cofounder and CEO of JubileeTV, a pioneering AgeTech company redefining how families support and stay connected with aging loved ones. Under his leadership, JubileeTV has transformed the television into a hub for remote caregiving, social connection, and independence, addressing a critical need as families navigate the challenges of aging at home. With more than 80 patents filed, the company has developed innovative solutions that simplify technology for older adults while empowering their families. Before founding JubileeTV, Aggarwal was at the forefront of consumer technology innovation. He launched Violet 3D, creating the world’s first self-calibrating, wireless 3D surround sound system. He led engineering teams at Harman International, shaping cutting-edge audio and video technologies, and played a key role as an audio architect at PortalPlayer, contributing to the development of the first-generation iPod for Apple. Aggarwal holds a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and continues to push the boundaries of how technology can enhance daily life for families and older adults.
References 2. Ageing. United Nations website. https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/ageing 3. The aging of the baby boom and the growing care gap: a look at future declines in the availability of family caregivers. Caregiver website. https://www.caregiver.org/uploads/2023/02/baby-boom-and-the-growing-care-gap-insight-AARP-ppi-ltc.pdf 4. Survey of 2,000 U.S. adults who provide care for family members over age 65 living outside their household. JubileeTV website. https://getjubileetv.com/blogs/media/remote-caregiving-survey?srsltid=AfmBOorWmmonxKyGEHH4fc9XXKeJ0FWz5ULu-ja7U9eufjcmOv9CR4Gx. Published September 19, 2024. 5. Yang M. Americans spend more time living with diseases than rest of world, study shows. The Guardian. December 11, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/11/americans-living-with-diseases-health-study#:~:text=On%20Wednesday%2C%20the%20American%20Medical,the%20US |
