Assistive Technology: A Guide for Family Caregivers of Older Adults
Are you a family caregiver of an older adult? If you are providing transportation, preparing meals, managing medications or health care appointments, or helping with personal care, then you are a family caregiver.
Your support is helping your loved one remain living at home and in their community. While caregiving is rewarding, its demands can take a toll on caregivers themselves, causing stress and social isolation—but there are many tools available that help care recipients maintain independence, which reduces the demands on caregivers and increases peace of mind for families. These tools are often called “assistive technology,” or “AT.”
What Is AT?
AT are tools, devices, pieces of equipment or systems that help a person do something more easily or safely. For caregivers, AT may be able to reduce repeated tasks, physical effort and coordination demands. AT devices can be simple or do-it-yourself, low tech or high tech, store bought or specially designed. Here are some examples:
- Helping a loved one manage medications.
CONCERN: You worry that your loved one might forget to take medication or accidentally take it more than once, especially when you can’t be there.
SOLUTION: Automated medication dispensers, medication reminder apps or smart pillboxes can provide alerts when it’s time to take medication and, depending on the device, help track whether a dose was taken.
SOLUTION: Automated medication dispensers, medication reminder apps or smart pillboxes can provide alerts when it’s time to take medication and, depending on the device, help track whether a dose was taken.
- Worrying about falls when you’re not there.
CONCERN: You worry about your loved one falling at home while you’re at work, running errands or sleeping.
SOLUTION: Medical alert devices, fall-detection wearables and emergency call systems can help an older adult summon assistance. Some systems can automatically alert designated contacts or a monitoring center when a fall is detected.
SOLUTION: Medical alert devices, fall-detection wearables and emergency call systems can help an older adult summon assistance. Some systems can automatically alert designated contacts or a monitoring center when a fall is detected.
- Helping a loved one with bathing or toileting.
CONCERN: Helping a loved one get in and out of the shower or maintain balance while bathing or transferring to the toilet can be physically demanding and raise concerns about falls.
SOLUTION: Properly installed grab bars provide stable handholds, helping your loved one steady themselves and move more safely around the bathroom. These can reduce the need for hands-on assistance during everyday routines.
SOLUTION: Properly installed grab bars provide stable handholds, helping your loved one steady themselves and move more safely around the bathroom. These can reduce the need for hands-on assistance during everyday routines.
- Helping with mealtimes.
CONCERN: Your loved one has difficulty holding utensils, requiring you to cut up food, often to feed it to them, and sometimes clean up afterwards.
SOLUTION: Easy-to-grip utensils and a plate guard for your loved one could help them eat independently, restoring dignity, and also allowing you to spend time together over a meal.
SOLUTION: Easy-to-grip utensils and a plate guard for your loved one could help them eat independently, restoring dignity, and also allowing you to spend time together over a meal.
Can AT Really Make a Difference?
It’s very important to remember that AT cannot and should not fully replace the caregiver. These tools work best when they’re selected with your loved one, are tailored to their needs and preferences, and used with appropriate attention to privacy and safety. Technology can support caregiving, but it is not a substitute for hands-on care or emergency services when those are needed. It can make some caregiving tasks easier, provide added peace of mind and help you focus your time and energy on the personal support that matters most to your loved one.
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Four Questions Caregivers Should Ask When Considering AT
1. Is there a caregiving task or concern that could be made easier, safer or less stressful? EXAMPLE: I’m worried that my loved one might forget to take medication when I’m not there to remind them. 2. Could AT make this task easier or help my loved one do more independently? EXAMPLE: An automated medication dispenser with reminders could help my loved one manage their medication routine with less hands-on assistance from me. 3. Is this technology a good fit for not only me but also my loved one’s needs, abilities and preferences? EXAMPLE: My loved one is comfortable using simple devices, so a dispenser with clear instructions and easy-to-understand alerts might be a good option. We’ll explore it together to make sure they feel comfortable using it. 4. Will the benefits outweigh the costs, and what support will we need to use it successfully? EXAMPLE: The device could reduce daily reminders and give us greater peace of and give us greater peace of mind. Before investing, I’ll compare costs, check whether financial assistance is available, and find out what training or ongoing support we might need. |
How to Find AT
- Think about your needs. What is the challenge that you and your loved one want to address? The four questions outlined above can be helpful in this process.
- Reach out to your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA). AAAs, which serve older adults and caregivers in every community across the country, can help you identify AT solutions that meet your needs. They also provide many other vital services, such as transportation, meals, in-home support and caregiver assistance.
- Share your needs with your AAA. Your local AAA will guide you in choosing the type of AT that could be right for you and your loved one. They may refer you to local, state or federal programs that provide different kinds of AT. There is also a federally funded AT Act Program in every state that can help you find the items you need.
- Ask about additional AT support. Ask about demonstrations or loans of devices, as well as about setup and training. State AT programs provide demonstrations and short-term device loans that can help you and your loved one make an informed decision.
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Contact the Eldercare Locator to Find Your AAA
If you are having difficulty identifying your local AAA or state AT Act Program, contact the Eldercare Locator, where trained staff are available to connect you with an Area Agency on Aging to find local AT solutions.
The Eldercare Locator is funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living. Visit eldercarelocator.acl.gov for more details.
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Would you like to share the information on this web page with a friend or family member? We have put it all in this easy-to-download Consumer AT Fact Sheet for you to do just that!
Additional Resources
State AT Act Program: Every state has an AT Act Program that can help you find the right device or solution. Find the AT Act Program in your state or territory. Your local AT Act Program can:
- Give you free information.
- Demonstrate and let you try out devices.
- Lend you equipment to test at home or in the community.
Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program Association: Find a state program that distributes specialized telecommunication equipment for people with disabilities. This typically includes phones for blind or low-vision individuals, or for cognitive, speech or motion disabilities.
National Deaf-Blind Equipment Program | iCanConnect: iCanConnect provides free equipment and training for people with both significant hearing and vision loss who meet the program’s disability and income eligibility guidelines. This may include accessories such as specialized keyboards or headsets, Braille devices, large computer monitors, specialized mobile phones and more.
Special thanks to Eldercare Locator partner ATAP AT3 Center for their contributions to Home for the Holidays 2026. The AT3 Center facilitates the coordination of state and territory AT Act Programs nationally and provides technical assistance and support to its members.