Integrating Digital Health Technology to Alleviate Caregiver Burden

The elder population in our country is growing at an exponential pace. Studies have shown that elders who are aged 80 years and older are projected to suffer from age related issues such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and osteoporosis and will need assistance with Long Term Services and Support (LTSS). Additionally, many elders are also projected to suffer from more severe chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, and heart related illnesses. Because many of these elders are aging in place, residing in their own homes, they will require the services of at home assistance, which high probability will be a neighbor, friend, or family member, serving in the role as an informal caregiver. As the pace of elders increasingly outnumbers informal caregivers, strategic methods must be evaluated, researched, and implemented to ensure caregivers are not becoming overwhelmed and contributing to our chronic health population due to caregiver burden, and to also ensure informal caregivers have the appropriate level of holistic support (emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually) needed to provide adequate care to our aging population. This paper will focus on the emergence of digital health technology and how it can be beneficial to informal caregivers and care recipients.