Is your Care Plan Missing a Chapter? Why Your 2026 Care Plan Needs a Tech Strategy

By Keren Etkin Gerontologist & Creator, TheGerontechnologist.com

If you have been working in elder care for more than a few years, you have felt the shift.

Ten years ago, when a family came to us with a safety concern – “Mom is forgetting to take her meds” or “Dad is unsteady on his feet” – our toolkit was clear. We suggested home modifications, hiring a home care aide, or perhaps moving to a senior living community or using a medical alert.

But in 2026, the families sitting across from us are asking different questions.

• “Is there a device that can tell me if he falls?”

• “Can I set up a camera without making her feel watched?”

• “How do I stop these scam calls from ringing her phone all day?”

For many elder care professionals, these questions induce a specific kind of anxiety. We are experts in care, not in gadgets. And yet, technology has become so intertwined with daily life that we can no longer treat it as a separate “nice-to-have.”

It is time to accept a new reality: In 2026, a comprehensive Care Plan must include a Tech Plan.

The “Best Solution” Trap

Here is the problem your clients face today: When they realize traditional solutions for certain challenges are lacking and decide to look for technology, they turn to Google or their favorite AI chatbot.

They type in “Best fall detection watch” and get hit with millions of results. Those could be anywhere from SEO-driven articles, to ads masquerading as reviews, to AI hallucinations that offer products that don’t even exist.

Whenever I give a presentation about AgeTech, someone inevitably raises their hand and asks: “Keren, what is the ‘best solution’ for X?”

My answer is always the same: “It depends.”

In AgeTech, there is no one-size-fits-all.

• A wearable works… unless the client hates wearing a watch.

• A camera works… unless the client isn’t comfortable with the idea of having a ‘nanny cam’ controlled by their children.

• App-based solutions might work… unless you’re dealing with one of the last few people who don’t use a smartphone.

It is incredibly overwhelming. And because most professionals don’t have a framework for these decisions, clients are left guessing.

A View From Both Sides

I am not saying this as a techy outsider trying to sell you gadgets. I say this as a Gerontologist who has walked the line between these two worlds for my entire career.

I spent the first half of my career exactly where you are: working with older adults, sitting in living rooms, and navigating complex family dynamics. I know that a “solution” isn’t real if a client refuses to use it, or if it makes them feel undignified.

But then I spent the second half of my career in the startup world – as the first employee at an AgeTech startup, a co-founder in another, and the author of The AgeTech Revolution.

I realized there was a massive disconnect. The ‘Tech World’ didn’t understand the nuance of care (for the most part), and the ‘Care World’ was intimidated by Tech (for the most part).

So, I built a bridge.

For years, I’ve been teaching an ‘AgeTech for Elder Care Pro’s curriculum through industry partnerships, helping elder care professionals bridge this gap using my methodology.

Don’t Just Take My Word For It

This shift toward technology isn’t just my opinion. The biggest players in our industry are pivoting their strategy from “high-touch-only” to “high-tech + high-touch.”

I’ve interviewed dozens of leaders on The AgeTech Podcast, and the message is consistent:

• In Home Care: Bailey Paxton (Right at Home Ventures) shared the reality of what 600+ franchise owners actually need – moving beyond “shiny objects” to tools that solve real operational headaches like caregiver retention.

• In Senior Living: David Finkelstein (CIO of RiverSpring Living) shared how they are using AI + VR to redefine post-acute care – moving beyond basic safety to actual engagement.

• In Government: Greg Olsen (NY State Office for the Aging) shared how New York is successfully using tech to fight social isolation at a massive scale.

The leaders are buying the tech and distributing it at scale. Now, it’s time for the elder care professionals advising families to become trusted AgeTech advisors.

The New Standard: “Tech-Fluency”

This is where you come in.

As Elder Care Professionals, our superpower has always been context. We don’t just treat a specific challenge in a silo; we look at the whole person. We are the only ones equipped to guide families through these choices because we understand the human side of the equation.

You don’t need to be a “geek” or an IT expert to bridge this gap. You simply need to be “Tech-Fluent.”

Being Tech-Fluent means you can:

• Establish Needs: What are the client’s real needs, challenges, and priorities?

• Assess Readiness: Does the client have Wi-Fi? What devices do they currently use? What happens when they malfunction?

• Screen for Fit: Spot the difference between a client who will want to use a smart speaker vs. one who needs passive sensors.

• Advocate: Help families choose the right solution for them.

A Framework for the Future of Care

For years, I taught this framework through industry partners. But that approach left many of you without a flexible way to access the material on your own schedule.

So, I’m bringing the program home.

The industry is moving fast. Don’t let your care plans fall behind. Whether you are looking for the right questions to ask or ready to claim your niche as an AgeTech specialist, here is your path forward: