Caregiving is a full-time job, with zero onboarding and lots of emotional overtime. This week, we’re exploring something that may lighten the load: AI-driven advances in the caregiving space. Not robots doing dishes (yet), but tech that supports everything from fall detection to financial aid searches.
Image generated using AI because we love a theme.
ICYMI (in case you missed it)
📊 Yet another reminder that the caregiving crisis isn’t coming, it’s here. A new report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving shows that 63 million Americans are now providing unpaid family care—jump scare—that’s a 45% increase in just 10 years. Many are doing nursing-level work with no training, little support, and mounting personal costs.
🛡️ A Texas teen turned a scary phishing near-miss into action: Tejasvi Manoj built Shield Seniors, an AI-powered app that scans suspicious messages and screenshots to flag scams targeting older adults. With nearly 75% of seniors lacking cybersecurity awareness, and average losses in the $30K+ range per scam, her tool is a timely example of tech made for dignity and protection.
🧠 Scammers are getting more bold. In Maryland, seniors were tricked by callers impersonating government agents and convinced to hand over gold bars and cash. The twist? Many of these scams are now using AI-generated voices that sound frighteningly real.
🤖 Deep dive: Carnegie Foundry’s new research reveals that 84% of caregivers are already using or considering in-home sensor tech. Caregivers are demanding more empathy-driven, easy-to-use tools that reduce stress and boost autonomy.
You Can’t Spell Caregiver Without AI
If caregiving had a favorite co-worker, AI might be it. But before we talk about how it's helping, let’s get clear on what it actually is.
In case you’ve been blissfully living under a computer generated rock, artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. The quick and dirty? AI refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, like learning, decision-making, pattern recognition, and language processing. In caregiving, AI systems are often built using:
Machine learning: Systems that improve over time by analyzing patterns in data.
Natural language processing (NLP): Tech that allows computers to understand and respond to human language.
Computer vision: Algorithms that interpret visual information, such as movement or facial expressions.
Predictive analytics: Tools that forecast future events based on past data.
The end result? Smarter tools that don’t just respond to caregiving needs, they anticipate them—kind of like your older sister but less bossy. AI is embedding itself in caregiving, from the home to the hospital, it look likes the following:
🚨 Fall Detection & Emergency Monitoring
AI-powered motion sensors and computer vision tools can:
Recognize falls in real time using pattern analysis.
Differentiate between normal movements (e.g., sitting down fast) and emergencies.
Automatically alert caregivers or emergency responders.
💊 Medication Management
AI-driven apps learn from missed doses or changing schedules and adapt reminders accordingly. Some integrate with electronic health records (EHRs) or smart pill dispensers that track when meds are taken.
💬 Conversational Companions & Emotional Support
Thought you were the only one spilling your guts to ChatGPT? Natural language processing enables AI companions to:
Understand mood from voice or text input.
Engage in meaningful, sometimes therapeutic, conversation.
Encourage routines like hydration, sleep, and check-ins.
🛌 Behavior Monitoring & Predictive Alerts
AI models analyze daily routines and detect early signs of cognitive or physical decline. For example:
Less kitchen activity may signal appetite loss or depression.
Irregular sleep might point to pain, medication issues, or anxiety.
💵 Benefits Screening & Financial Tools
AI chatbots and digital assistants can walk caregivers through complex eligibility forms or suggest financial aid programs based on keywords and documents.
🧠 Cognitive Support & Memory Care
AI can provide memory prompts, routine guidance, and personalized engagement activities to people with cognitive decline, all while logging interactions for clinician or caregiver review.
🏥 Clinical Decision Support
Behind the scenes, AI helps physicians treating older adults by:
Predicting hospital readmissions.
Suggesting medication changes based on real-time data.
Analyzing speech or handwriting patterns for early dementia signs.
So...Is AI Taking Over?
Maybe, but your older sis still has a little more time to tell your family what to do. Think of AI as an assistant, not a replacement. It can be the one bugging mom and dad to turn off the stove and take their meds, or it can alert you before a problem escalates.
Like most tech, it comes with a few caveats, including:
Privacy: Home sensors and monitoring tools come with data collection. Know what’s being recorded and how it’s stored.
Equity: Many tools require high-speed internet, smart devices, or subscription fees, making access uneven.
Caregiver Buy-in: These tools are only helpful if caregivers and care recipients feel comfortable using them.
AI can’t fully replace the connection you have to your dad, but it can offer a bit of help. Sometimes a break is needed to strengthen a bond, and that might be the most human use of all.
What’s Good
Helpful care-focused finds we’ve identified and researched so you don’t have to.
This week, we’re what’s good. The bright folks over at Hartford Funds asked Gray Monster to tackle a growing trend that AI has yet to solve for—reverse boomerangs—cleverly named and known as your parents moving into your house.
From managing expectations to prepping the guest room, handling finances and the remote control, we break it all down in practical terms and talking points. Whether you're deep in the transition or see it on the horizon, it’s worth a read. We're not saying print it out and hang it on your fridge... but we wouldn’t stop you either.
