The dream of a home that is ambiently aware and interactive upon request—or proactively so—has roots in the early part of the last century. We have seen decades where advancements seemed to surge (the 1950s vision of “tomorrow") and those where the future was pulled forward with dreams of innovations that were actually just years away, such as online shopping being predicted in the 1960s.
What’s different now is not just the technology itself, but its maturity and acceptance.
With advancements and acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI), sensors and machine learning, as well as a growing sense of comfort with ambient, always-on systems, we are finally at an inflection point. We are seeing new narratives emerge around how a household can be retrofitted into a dwelling that securely transforms the environment, not only into an organism with near self-awareness, but one that provides proactive and preventative features that help avoid common issues that may occur as we age.
This change matters most as the population ages and more people choose (or need) to remain in their homes longer.
Historically, technology addressed risk reactively. The iconic emergency call button offered reassurance, but only after something had already gone wrong. Today’s systems represent a fundamental shift that goes from response to prevention. But this evolution goes far beyond safety alone. It now involves physical and mental health monitoring, from diet to sleep to even social interaction, ultimately expanding to all facets of daily life.
Understanding Where We Stand With Agetech
Consider a typical homeowner who has lived in their home for years but is now more dependent on others for support or care. They often face—and resist—the likelihood of having to move into a form of assisted living.
Especially if they are like my mother was: rather obstinate. She was managing everything on her own in a 200-year-old home in rural Maine. My sister was able to check in daily, which proved helpful, but as time passed, it was clear things were becoming dangerous. Sparing the details of the following years, we tried to persuade her to move, and my mother eventually had her hand forced after a medical emergency.
I tell this story to point out that had we been able to assemble the collection of technology available today, her outcome likely would have been different. This reality is not unique to my family; in fact, plenty of American households experience similar situations.
Looking across the services offered by the industry, especially the startups demonstrating value for older adults across the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP ecosystem, there is now enough to outfit a home that can take residents well beyond the days of just relying on an emergency call button and toward the Jetsons-like future we’ve been promised.
Tech Working Better For Older Adults
This constellation of technology is immersive, sometimes invisible and always on. From the moment you wake until you fall asleep—and even while you sleep—new technology offers a cloak of safety, early warnings, prevention and post-
event care.
Sleep, for example, is increasingly recognized as a foundational indicator of health. Smart mattresses now adjust temperature and firmness dynamically, while emerging neuroscience-based products like Elemind use noninvasive stimulation to support sleep quality, pain management and cognitive function.
Mobility is another critical area. Getting out of bed, particularly at night, can be fraught. Products like Path Finder reduce fall risk with assisted walking and HomeHub can monitor multiple people in a home—without wearables—detecting unusual movement patterns.
Even the bathroom, long a blind spot in home health monitoring, is becoming a source of insight. Smart toilets from companies like Toi Labs can detect health issues sooner, enabling earlier intervention.
Individually, these tools are compelling. Together, they represent a shift in how we think about the home itself. This is no longer a passive space, but an intelligent environment that supports safety, independence and dignity.
Looking Ahead
Smart home technology is no longer a “nice to have” for aging in place and homecare. Today, it is becoming essential infrastructure as caregiver shortages intensify and family members are increasingly stretched across distances and responsibilities.
Moving forward, homes will increasingly function as continuous health monitors, providing an always-on safety net for those aging at home and meaningful reassurance for caregivers. The future of homecare will not be defined by a single device or platform, but by environments that quietly and intelligently work in the background, helping people live safely where they most want to be: at home.
Rick Robinson is the vice president and general manager leading the AgeTech Collaborative from AARP, an innovation ecosystem working to make aging easier for everyone. He believes advanced technology, including AI and embodied AI, is key to addressing aging's challenges, as evidenced by growing interest from entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders in the collaborative. Visit agetechcollaborative.org.