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Description

Caregiver burden often increases during hospital-to-home transitions, limiting patient independence and placing strain on caregivers. Smart home and wearable technologies offer promising solutions; however, limited awareness, confidence, and training hinder their adoption. This capstone project developed an educational program to improve familiarity and practical use of smart technology among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. A needs assessment involving surveys, interviews, and clinical observations identified key barriers, including cost concerns, limited technological literacy, and low clinician confidence. An educational presentation and smart technology catalog were then implemented, with pre- and post-surveys used to measure changes in knowledge and confidence. Findings showed substantial improvements in clinician familiarity and readiness to recommend smart devices, as well as increased interest in integrating technology into discharge planning. These results highlight the value of education in promoting technology-enabled care and reducing caregiver burden. Future efforts should focus on long-term adoption, cost-accessibility, and sustaining program materials as new technologies emerge.

Publication Date

Fall 2025

Publisher

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

Keywords

Smart technology, Occupational therapy, Caregiving

Medical Subject Headings

Caregivers, Caregiver burden, Artificial intelligence, Workload, Self-help devices

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Occupational Therapy

Comments

Poster presented at the OTD Capstone Symposium at the University of St Augustine for Health Sciences in Fall 2025.

The Application of Smart Technology to Reduce Caregiver Burden

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