Background The issue of ageing in place—the ability of older adults to live in their homes and communities while receiving suitable care and supporting services—continues to be a significant focus of public policy and healthcare practice. It has clear advantages both from a personal well-being perspective and in relation to the sustainability of healthcare resources. The older adults’ ability to age in place is increasingly being facilitated by technological advancements—smart home technologies that make use of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics. These technologies face many difficulties, such as unresolved conflicts, service integration gaps, and governance issues. Methods We conducted a qualitative content analysis of national and regional policy documents (n = 12) and professional WeChat articles (n = 44) published between 2020 and 2025. We also performed thematic analysis on the data to identify areas of focus where stakeholders’ priorities and perceived benefits and barriers diverged and converged. Results The following four key themes emerged: (1) shared and divergent value frames across stakeholders—policies framed cost containment, equity, and sustainability, while practitioners focused on emotional attachment, convenience, and social connection; (2) negotiating the promise and pitfalls of zero-burden monitoring—AI monitoring was appreciated for its safety and early intervention features but raised concerns around privacy, device intricacy, and causality; (3) aligning precision home care with diverse needs—while promotion of precision care was welcomed, structural and individual factors like digital literacy, self-efficacy, and urban–rural divides were barriers; (4) reconciling stakeholder priorities for smart home integration—identified by healthcare professionals, older adults, caregivers, and policymakers were distinct operational, usability, and governance priorities. Conclusions Most stakeholders agree that smart home technologies can support ageing in place, yet important differences remain in how each group defines priorities and interprets day-to-day obstacles. Privacy concerns, ease of use, reliable infrastructure, and affordability continue to shape whether these tools are welcomed or set aside. Addressing these points requires frameworks that reflect the settings in which people live and work, and that guard against conflicts of interest. Bringing policy goals into closer alignment with the experiences of older adults and the realities faced by frontline teams will be key to making adoption both fair and sustainable.

Navigating Ageing in Place Within a Smart Home: Bridging Stakeholder Viewpoints

期刊论文
发表日期：

2025年10月25日

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Xiaoyang Li,
Chi Zhang,
Yinan Zhao,
Hui Feng

摘要

Background The issue of ageing in place—the ability of older adults to live in their homes and communities while receiving suitable care and supporting services—continues to be a significant focus of public policy and healthcare practice. It has clear advantages both from a personal well-being perspective and in relation to the sustainability of healthcare resources. The older adults’ ability to age in place is increasingly being facilitated by technological advancements—smart home technologies that make use of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics. These technologies face many difficulties, such as unresolved conflicts, service integration gaps, and governance issues. Methods We conducted a qualitative content analysis of national and regional policy documents (n = 12) and professional WeChat articles (n = 44) published between 2020 and 2025. We also performed thematic analysis on the data to identify areas of focus where stakeholders’ priorities and perceived benefits and barriers diverged and converged. Results The following four key themes emerged: (1) shared and divergent value frames across stakeholders—policies framed cost containment, equity, and sustainability, while practitioners focused on emotional attachment, convenience, and social connection; (2) negotiating the promise and pitfalls of zero-burden monitoring—AI monitoring was appreciated for its safety and early intervention features but raised concerns around privacy, device intricacy, and causality; (3) aligning precision home care with diverse needs—while promotion of precision care was welcomed, structural and individual factors like digital literacy, self-efficacy, and urban–rural divides were barriers; (4) reconciling stakeholder priorities for smart home integration—identified by healthcare professionals, older adults, caregivers, and policymakers were distinct operational, usability, and governance priorities. Conclusions Most stakeholders agree that smart home technologies can support ageing in place, yet important differences remain in how each group defines priorities and interprets day-to-day obstacles. Privacy concerns, ease of use, reliable infrastructure, and affordability continue to shape whether these tools are welcomed or set aside. Addressing these points requires frameworks that reflect the settings in which people live and work, and that guard against conflicts of interest. Bringing policy goals into closer alignment with the experiences of older adults and the realities faced by frontline teams will be key to making adoption both fair and sustainable.