Application Status, Challenges, and Development Prospects of Smart Technologies in Home-Based Elder Care

The rapid growth of China’s aging population has made elderly care a pressing social issue. Due to an imperfect pension system, limited uptake of institutional care, and uneven regional economic development, most elderly people in China still rely on home-based care. Elderly people living at home are usually cared for by their family, partners, caregivers, or themselves. However, this often fails to meet their complex health, safety, and emotional needs. Artificial intelligence may provide promising solutions to improve home care experiences and address the multifaceted health and lifestyle challenges faced by homebound elderly people. This review explores the applications of artificial intelligence in home-based care from four main perspectives: home health care, home safety and security, smart life assistants, and psychological care and emotional support. We systematically searched PubMed, IEEE Xplore, CNKI, and Scopus databases, integrated the latest research published between 2015 and 2024, focused on peer-reviewed, practice-oriented research, and reviewed relevant technology development paths and the current status of the field. Unlike previous studies that focused on physiological monitoring, this study is the first to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the role of artificial intelligence in improving the convenience of daily life and mental health support for elderly people at home. By comprehensively reviewing and analyzing the basic principles and application background of artificial intelligence technology in this field, we summarize the current technical and ethical challenges and propose future research directions. This study aims to help readers gain a deeper understanding of the current status and emerging trends of artificial intelligence-enabled home-based elderly care, thereby providing valuable insights for continued innovation and application in this rapidly developing field.