Digital technology for older adults with functional disabilities at home: a scoping review

Older adults with functional disabilities face dual pressures from surging home care demands and a shortage of medical resources. While digital technologies demonstrate crucial potential in home care, the utilization of digital solutions remains substantially low among this group. To explore the application status, supply-demand matching, utilization models, and influencing factors of digital technologies in home-based care for disabled older adults. The scoping review followed a five-stage framework and the PRISMA-ScR checklist statement. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane library, Scopus, and ProQuest from inception to January 2026. The quality of the included studies was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018. Data were analyzed using the descriptive inductive thematic analysis. A “Supply-Demand Gap Analysis Matrix” was constructed to evaluate the alignment between services provided and user needs. IoT and Mobile Systems (18/27) were the dominant technologies, primarily utilizing a “Medic-Led Model” (13/27). A significant supply-demand gap emerged: while Bio-Safety and Medical Support were highly supplied (65.2%), assistance for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) was rare (8.7%) despite universal demand (100%). Regarding outcomes, Feasibility (19/27) was the most frequently assessed domain, whereas Cost Analysis (4/27) was the least reported. Current research reveals a mismatch: technologies prioritize medical surveillance and feasibility over daily living assistance and cost-effectiveness. Future studies should pivot toward solutions focused on daily living assistance and multidimensional evaluations to better support the independence of older adults with functional disabilities at home.