The Use of Assistive Technology in Care in Community Settings: Insights from Recent Research
Imagine an older adult or an adult with care and support needs living independently at home, receiving medication reminders through a digital device, monitoring their health through a wearable sensor and staying connected to family members and care professionals through a smart communication platform. Or consider a family caregiver who gains peace of mind knowing they will receive an alert if their loved one living with dementia leaves the house unexpectedly or experiences a medical emergency. These scenarios are no longer examples of futuristic care. They are becoming an increasingly common reality as assistive technology transforms the way health and social care are delivered within communities.
The need for innovative approaches to care has never been greater. Across the UK and globally, health and social care systems are facing unprecedented pressures. Populations are ageing, the number of people living with multiple long-term health conditions continues to rise and demand for care services is growing faster than available workforce capacity. At the same time, many people express a strong preference to remain in their own homes and communities rather than move into institutional care settings.
Against this backdrop, assistive technology (AT) is gaining significant attention as a potential solution. The term encompasses a broad range of products, services and digital innovations designed to support independence, safety and daily functioning. These include mobility aids, hearing devices, medication dispensers, telecare systems, falls detectors, smart-home technologies, GPS tracking systems, wearable health monitors, communication tools and increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled solutions capable of personalising support and predicting care needs. The role of assistive technology extends beyond helping individuals complete everyday tasks. At its best, it can empower people to live the lives they choose, maintain important relationships, participate in their communities and exercise greater control over their health and wellbeing. For care providers, it offers opportunities to deliver more preventative and responsive services. For unpaid family carers, it can provide reassurance, reduce stress and improve care coordination.
Recent research highlights the growing potential of assistive technology across a range of community care settings. Studies suggest that assistive technologies can improve quality of life, support self-management of health conditions, reduce caregiver burden, enhance communication, promote healthy ageing and help people remain in their own homes for longer. The evidence is particularly encouraging in areas such as dementia care, telehealth, remote monitoring and support for unpaid carers.
However, the growing enthusiasm surrounding assistive technology must be balanced with important practical and ethical considerations. Access to technology remains uneven and many individuals face barriers relating to affordability, digital literacy, internet access, privacy concerns and confidence in using new technologies. There are also broader questions about how technology can be integrated into care services without diminishing the human connection that remains central to effective support.
Research increasingly suggests that technology alone is not the answer. The most successful assistive technology interventions are typically those that are personalised, affordable, easy to use and developed in partnership with the individuals who will ultimately rely on them. In other words, innovation works best when it begins with people rather than technology.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that more than 2.5 billion people worldwide currently require one or more assistive products, a figure projected to rise to 3.5 billion by 2050 as populations age and the prevalence of chronic conditions increases. As a result, understanding how assistive technology can be effectively implemented has become an urgent priority for policymakers, healthcare professionals, social care providers, researchers and communities alike.
This article explores what recent research tells us about the role of assistive technology in community-based care. It examines how technology is supporting older adults to age in place, helping people living with dementia or other complex care needs to remain safe and independent, strengthening support for family caregivers and reshaping the future of health and social care delivery. It also considers the barriers that continue to limit adoption and the steps needed to ensure assistive technologies are accessible, equitable and truly person-centred.
As community care continues to evolve, the question is no longer whether technology has a role to play, but how we can harness its potential to create better outcomes for individuals, families and communities while ensuring that compassion, dignity and human connection remain at the heart of care.
Growing Importance of Assistive Technology in Community Care
The growing demand for community-based care has placed assistive technology at the centre of many national and international health and social care strategies. According to the World Health Organisation, assistive technology is essential for supporting functioning, participation, inclusion and independent living across the life course.
In the UK, government-funded research programmes have increasingly prioritised technologies that enable care to be delivered closer to home. National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) initiatives have focused on adaptive homes, telecare systems, rehabilitation technologies, communication aids, remote monitoring solutions and support for unpaid carers. These developments reflect a broader shift away from reactive care models towards preventative, community-focused approaches that promote independence and reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.
As pressures on health and social care services continue to increase, assistive technologies are increasingly viewed as vital tools for maintaining quality of care while supporting individuals to remain active participants in their communities.
Supporting Older Adults
One of the most significant areas of research concerns the use of assistive technology to support ageing in place, enabling older people to live independently in their own homes while maintaining safety, autonomy and quality of life.
A 2024 systematic review examining smart technologies for healthy ageing identified growing evidence supporting the use of home monitoring systems, wearable health trackers, environmental sensors and smart-home technologies. The review found that these technologies can support health monitoring, assist with daily activities, reduce risks and improve communication between individuals, carers and healthcare professionals.
Similarly, a 2024 review of technology-enabled community interventions for active ageing found that digital technologies can strengthen community participation, improve access to support services and help older adults maintain social connections. Researchers highlighted technology’s potential to reduce social isolation and promote engagement in community-based activities, both of which are strongly associated with improved health and wellbeing in later life.
Taken together, these findings suggest that assistive technology can play a critical role in helping older adults maintain independence while remaining connected to the people and services that matter most.
Assistive Technology in Dementia Care
Dementia care has emerged as one of the most extensively researched areas of community-based assistive technology.
A 2025 systematic review of technologies supporting community-dwelling people with dementia identified numerous beneficial interventions, including behavioural monitoring systems, health monitoring devices, GPS tracking tools, communication platforms, caregiver education systems and reminder technologies. The review concluded that these technologies can help individuals remain safely at home while simultaneously supporting family caregivers.
A second 2025 systematic review conducted by the INTERDEM AI and Assistive Technology Taskforce examined digital assistive technologies for people living with dementia in community settings. Researchers found evidence suggesting that digital interventions can enhance safety, support daily functioning, improve communication and strengthen care coordination. However, the review also highlighted variability in study quality and called for more robust implementation research.
Importantly, research suggests that successful adoption is strongly influenced by how meaningful and relevant technologies are to everyday life. A 2025 scoping review found that technologies were most effective when tailored to individual preferences and supported through training, ongoing assistance and personalised implementation. Successful use was associated with maintaining identity, independence, confidence and engagement in valued activities.
These findings reinforce the importance of designing dementia-support technologies around the needs, goals and lived experiences of the individuals who use them.
Benefits for Family and Informal Caregivers
Community care increasingly relies on unpaid family members and informal carers who provide substantial emotional, practical and physical support. As a result, many assistive technologies are designed not only for care recipients but also for those who support them.
Research indicates that technologies such as remote monitoring systems, medication management tools, mobile health applications and emergency alert systems can reduce caregiver stress by improving confidence that loved ones are safe and supported. These tools can also help carers monitor health changes, manage daily routines and respond more quickly to emerging issues.Technologies that improve communication between family carers, healthcare professionals and service providers can further enhance care coordination and reduce fragmentation within care systems.
WHO’s review of telemedicine in dementia care found promising evidence that digital health technologies can reduce feelings of isolation, improve access to support networks and enhance care outcomes when embedded within broader community support systems. Importantly, the review concluded that technology appears most effective when it complements human relationships rather than attempting to replace them.
Barriers to Adoption
Despite the growing evidence base, several barriers continue to limit the widespread adoption of assistive technology.
A major 2025 systematic review encompassing 95 studies identified ten key barriers affecting the use of assistive technologies among older adults and their carers. These included concerns relating to privacy, cost, usability, lack of knowledge, fear of misuse, poor functionality, stigma, accessibility issues and concerns about reduced human interaction.
Significantly, many of these barriers were not directly related to the technology itself. Instead, they reflected users’ confidence, willingness and ability to integrate technology into their everyday lives.
Research in dementia care mirrors these findings. Studies frequently report reluctance among both people living with dementia and family caregivers to adopt unfamiliar digital tools. Limited digital literacy, insufficient training, lack of ongoing support and concerns about surveillance or loss of privacy remain recurrent challenges.
These findings highlight the importance of addressing social, educational and ethical factors alongside technological development.
Future Directions
Recent research increasingly points towards more personalised, user-centred approaches to assistive technology.
Emerging innovations include AI-enabled monitoring systems, predictive analytics, wearable mobility devices, digital companions, and adaptive smart-home environments capable of responding automatically to users’ needs and preferences. These technologies have the potential to provide more proactive, personalised support while helping individuals remain independent for longer. However, researchers consistently emphasise that future success depends on more than technological advancement alone. Co-design with users, accessibility, affordability, interoperability and integration within existing community care services will all be essential if these innovations are to achieve meaningful and sustainable impact.
Recent reviews of clinical practice guidelines have also highlighted a need for stronger evidence-based recommendations and greater consistency in how assistive technology is incorporated into care pathways. Only a relatively small proportion of current guideline recommendations specifically address assistive technology interventions, suggesting there is significant scope for further development in both policy and practice.
Conclusion
The latest research demonstrates that assistive technology has substantial potential to transform community-based care by promoting independence, supporting ageing in place, enhancing safety, strengthening care coordination and reducing caregiver burden. Evidence is particularly strong in areas such as dementia care, telehealth, remote monitoring and smart-home technologies. However, successful implementation relies on more than technological innovation alone. User acceptance, affordability, digital inclusion, training, ethical considerations and integration with person-centred care remain critical determinants of success.
As health and social care systems continue shifting towards preventative, community-focused models of support, assistive technology is likely to become an increasingly important enabler of independent living and improved quality of life. The challenge ahead is ensuring that technological progress remains guided by human needs, enabling individuals to live with greater autonomy, dignity, connection and wellbeing within their communities.
References
World Health Organisation. Assistive Technology Fact Sheet (2024).
Chang, F., Wang, G., & Gu, Z. Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Community-Based Interventions for Promoting Active Aging (2024).
Hu, M. et al. Healthy Aging in Place with the Aid of Smart Technologies: A Systematic Review (2024).
Moreno, J.A. et al. Technology-Assisted Home Support of Community-Dwelling Older Adults Living with Dementia (2025).
Neal, D. et al. Digital Assistive Technologies for Community-Dwelling People with Dementia (2025).
Malden, S. et al. Facilitators and Barriers to the Adoption of Assistive Technologies for Older Adults (2025).
Martin, S. & Jones, C.H. Perceptions and Use of Assistive Technology by People Living with Dementia (2025).
Callaway, L. et al. Review of International Clinical Guidelines Informing the Use of Assistive Technology (2025).