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Internet of things (IoT) applications for elderly care: a reflective review

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Abstract

Increasing in elderly population put extra pressure on healthcare systems globally in terms of operational costs and resources. To minimize this pressure and provide efficient healthcare services, the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable technology could be promising. These technologies have the potential to improve the quality of life of the elderly population while reducing strain on healthcare systems and minimizing their operational cost. Although IoT and wearable applications for elderly healthcare purposes were reviewed previously, there is a further need to summarize their current applications in this fast-developing area. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of IoT and wearable technologies’ applications including the types of data collected and the types of devices for elderly healthcare. This paper provides insights into existing areas of IoT/wearable applications while presenting new research opportunities in emerging areas of applications, such as robotic technology and integrated applications. The analysis in this paper could be useful to healthcare solution designers and developers in defining technology supported futuristic healthcare strategies to serve elderly people and increasing their quality of life.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), 34 St. Paul Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

    Soe Ye Yint Tun & Samaneh Madanian

  2. Department of Information Technology and Software Engineering, School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Auckland, New Zealand

    Farhaan Mirza

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  1. Soe Ye Yint Tun
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  2. Samaneh Madanian
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Correspondence to Samaneh Madanian.

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Tun, S.Y.Y., Madanian, S. & Mirza, F. Internet of things (IoT) applications for elderly care: a reflective review. Aging Clin Exp Res 33, 855–867 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01545-9

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