Low Tech, High Potential
Using Technology to Improve Communication Across Home Care Workers
Published in: Journal of Applied Gerontology, Volume 42, Issue 4, pages 776–781 (April 2023). doi: 10.1177/07334648221144027
Posted on RAND.org on March 07, 2023
We sought to examine how technology is currently utilized in home care and how the integration of new technologies in the completion of tasks may change the future of work for home care workers (HCWs), including personal care aides and home health aides. We triangulated data from three sources: A scoping review, interviews with HCWs, and monthly stakeholder input from 17 experts in home care and technology. Our findings suggest that while current technology use is limited and rudimentary within home care, technology may be especially beneficial in mitigating challenges around communication handoffs among HCWs. Our study points to the potential for the introduction and integration of technology into home care, particularly for communication to improve direct care worker experiences in providing care to vulnerable clients in their homes.
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