Technology is now woven into nearly every aspect of daily life.
From communicating with family and friends to accessing healthcare, managing finances, staying entertained, navigating transportation, and protecting against scams, technology has become an essential part of how people live, connect, and remain independent.
That reality was at the center of a recent conversation at the Mary Furlong & Associates What’s Next Longevity Venture Summit, where The Smarter Service CEO and Co-Founder Terry Dry joined Andrew Smith, Vice President of Innovation and Technology at HumanGood, to discuss the emergence and growing importance of what many are beginning to call the “Technology Caregiver.”
The discussion explored a simple but increasingly important question:
As technology becomes essential to everyday life, who helps older adults successfully use it?
Technology Support Is No Longer Just Technical Support
For many years, technology support was viewed primarily as a troubleshooting function. Someone’s device stopped working, they forgot a password, or they needed help setting up a new application.
While those needs still exist, they represent only part of the picture.
At The Smarter Service, our experience shows that solving technical problems accounts for roughly one-third of resident interactions. The majority of support involves education, discovery, coaching, and helping older adults build confidence with the technology they already own.
Many older adults today manage five to seven connected devices, including smartphones, tablets, computers, smart televisions, wearable devices, hearing technology, and more.
The challenge is rarely access.
The challenge is helping people feel confident enough to use these tools in ways that improve their daily lives.
Why the Human Element Matters
One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation was that technology adoption is fundamentally human.
Technology alone does not create engagement.
Trust does.
Patience does.
Relationships do.
Older adults are often willing and interested in learning new technology, but successful adoption frequently depends on having a trusted person available to answer questions, provide encouragement, explain concepts clearly, and offer support when challenges arise.
This is where the role of the Tech Concierge has evolved far beyond traditional technical support.
The most successful technology support professionals are not hired solely for technical expertise. They are selected for empathy, communication skills, patience, and their ability to build meaningful relationships.
The work is relational, not transactional.
In many ways, these skills closely mirror those traditionally associated with caregiving roles.
Technology Caregiving Is Becoming Essential
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare, wellness, safety, and social connection, technology support is taking on greater significance within senior living communities.
Residents rely on technology to communicate with loved ones, attend telehealth appointments, access health information, engage with community programs, manage smart devices, and protect themselves from fraud and scams.
When these tools are not understood or properly utilized, opportunities for connection, engagement, and independence can be lost.
As a result, many organizations are beginning to view technology support as an essential service rather than a convenience.
The concept of the “Technology Caregiver” reflects this shift.
The role is no longer simply about fixing devices. It is about helping people remain connected, informed, engaged, and confident in an increasingly digital world.
HumanGood’s Leadership in Technology Adoption
Andrew Smith shared examples of the innovative work HumanGood is doing through its Healthspan initiative, including programs designed to help residents successfully adopt technologies that support health, wellness, and quality of life.
These efforts recognize that simply introducing technology is not enough.
Organizations must also create the education, support, and engagement strategies necessary to help residents embrace and benefit from those tools.
HumanGood continues to be a leader in exploring how technology can positively impact the aging experience while ensuring residents receive the support needed to use these solutions effectively.
How AI Can Enhance Human-Centered Support
The conversation also explored the growing role of artificial intelligence in technology support.
At The Smarter Service, AI is not viewed as a replacement for people.
Instead, it serves as an enabler that helps our team deliver more personalized and effective service.
By leveraging tools such as Whispr and Claude, our team can quickly create customized instructions, personalized resources, and tailored support materials that meet residents where they are.
The goal is not to remove the human element.
The goal is to strengthen it.
When technology handles repetitive tasks more efficiently, Tech Concierges can spend more time doing what matters most: building relationships, educating residents, and providing the confidence and reassurance that drive long-term technology adoption.
Looking Ahead
The idea of a Technology Caregiver may have sounded novel only a few years ago.
Today, it feels increasingly essential.
As technology continues to shape nearly every aspect of aging, healthcare, wellness, communication, and safety, the need for trusted human support will only continue to grow.
The future of successful technology adoption is not simply better technology.
It is combining innovative technology with empathetic, human-centered support that helps older adults confidently use the tools that increasingly shape everyday life.
A special thank you to Andrew Smith and the HumanGood team for their partnership and leadership, and to Mary Furlong and the team at Mary Furlong & Associates for creating a forum where these important conversations can take place.
