Benefits and Barriers Associated with the Use of Smart Home Health Technologies in the Care of Older Persons: A Systematic Review

   This systematic review examines the benefits and barriers of smart home health technologies (SHHTs) in caregiving for older adults, based on 163 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2021. SHHTs—including physiological monitoring, cognitive assistance, and social connectivity tools—offer enhanced safety, independence, self-care, and reduced caregiving burden. Barriers include usability challenges, social acceptance, cost, and risk of reduced human connection. The review identifies five benefit categories and five barrier categories, advocating for personalized, user-centric design and policy adaptations to improve adoption and effectiveness in aging-in-place contexts.

   This systematic review examines the benefits and barriers of smart home health technologies (SHHTs) in caregiving for older adults, based on 163 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2021. SHHTs—including physiological monitoring, cognitive assistance, and social connectivity tools—offer enhanced safety, independence, self-care, and reduced caregiving burden. Barriers include usability challenges, social acceptance, cost, and risk of reduced human connection. The review identifies five benefit categories and five barrier categories, advocating for personalized, user-centric design and policy adaptations to improve adoption and effectiveness in aging-in-place contexts.