Future Care Homes: Assistive Technology and Smart Design

Author: The Royal Blind Society
Published: 10 Aug 2017 - Updated: 28 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This information examines how residential care homes are likely to be run and designed over the coming two decades as aging populations create more complex health needs. Authored by The Royal Blind Society in partnership with Royal Blind, specialists in care for people who are blind, it draws on industry research including Jane Ashcroft's observations in the Silver Chic report to outline practical shifts toward quality-led environments. The piece is useful for older adults, people with disabilities, family members, and care providers because it connects emerging assistive technologies - fall sensors, wearable health monitors, color-coded lighting for those living with dementia, and robotics - to the everyday goals of safety, independence, and longer, healthier lives in care settings.*

At a Glance

• 1 - Room sensors and building systems can alert staff when a resident has fallen or has stopped moving.
• 2 - Different colored lighting across building clusters can help people living with dementia recognize their own living quarters.
• 3 - Voice commands and robotically controlled curtains and lights can help blind and visually impaired residents manage their own rooms.
• 4 - Future wearables are expected to track fluid retention and respiratory rates, helping residents spot symptoms early and potentially lowering hospital admissions.

Topic Definition

Smart Care Home

A smart care home is a residential care or nursing facility that builds technology and thoughtful design into daily care, so residents can live more safely and with more independence. In practice, this means things like room sensors that detect falls or long periods without movement, wearable devices that track vital signs, voice-controlled lights and curtains, color-coded spaces that help people with dementia find their way, and assistive robots that help with lifting, mobility, or emotional comfort. The goal is not to replace caregivers. It is to give staff earlier warnings and more time for personal care, while residents keep as much control over their own routines as possible.

Overview

As populations around the world begin to live for longer than they ever have, their individual needs related to their health become even more complex, and this is no different in the UK. What this means, is that care homes need to use greater amounts of, and more intelligent, assistive technologies. Furthermore, staff and care home providers will need to create sustainable living environments in the long-term, to ensure that patients are cared for appropriately when those in care require increasing amounts of supervision and attention.

With doubts overhanging the future of care homes, due to a lack of governmental funding, together with Royal Blind - specialists in care homes for the blind and care homes in Paisley, we assess how care homes will be run in the future, and assess the technologies that will revolutionise the way people are cared for.

An Emphasis On Quality

In the next 20 years, research has suggested that care homes funded by both private means and social care, will emphasise quality within their ethos. This is because it has been suggested that this strategy has the potential for people to 'live healthier and longer lives', as Jane Ashcroft suggested in the Silver Chic report in the future of care homes.

More specifically, quality will preside within the care home's design, as housing will be implemented on a turntable, to help those living there be exposed to sunlight for the longest periods of time possible. As well as this, connectivity will also be a priority to help combat loneliness. To do this, care villages will use small bridges intersecting various gardens so that residents will closer to both their natural environment and other residents within the community.

Innovative Technologies

In addition to quality taking a top priority on the agenda for the future of care homes, technology is also becoming more advanced, and they are helping to ensure that patients remain safe within care homes while allowing them to live longer, healthier lives.

For example, care homes are now beginning to utilise sensors in rooms and systems within the building that alert staff when a patient has fallen, or when they have stopped moving. To help those living with dementia, clusters within buildings can be coloured variously with different lighting so that they are able to recognise their own living quarters. These types of technologies then, are specifically designed to ensure patient comfort, and help to guarantee their safety while living in care.

Care with Greater Independence

When people live within the care system, they can begin to feel as though they've lost a sense of independence; technologies of the future are enabling those with specific care requirements to live their life in a more self-sufficient way.

For example, wearable technologies in their present form can monitor heart rates, steps, and distance covered - but in the future, they will help to monitor fluid retention and respiratory rates, helping to lower hospital admissions, allowing patients to understand their own symptoms more effectively before they require medical assistance.

Robotics

As well as troubleshooting technologies, robotics will be used to help calm down dementia sufferers who have to deal with extreme stress, used within robotic pets that can respond to human touch and respond in intelligent way.

To help with specific care tasks, robots will provide general tasks such as helping patients get in and out of bed, whilst wearable robotic suits will be used to help sufferers from arthritis stand and walk, and they will also help those with severe mobility problems get around more comfortably.

Within a patients room, robotically controlled curtains alongside voice commands that also control lights, and other devices, will be used to help those who are blind and have visual impairments.

Although we aren't there yet, the future of care homes looks promising for both staff and patients. The technologies that are already being utilised, and the systems that are being proposed, will help patients lead more independent and comfortable lives so that they can live a happier and healthier life for longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

A care home provides accommodation and help with personal care such as washing, dressing, and meals, while a nursing home also has registered nurses on site around the clock to deliver medical care for people with more complex health needs.

Are fall detection sensors in care homes an invasion of privacy?

Most modern fall detection systems use motion, pressure, or radar sensors rather than cameras, so they can alert staff to a fall without recording video. Residents and families should be told how data is collected, stored, and used, and consent should be obtained where required.

How much does assistive technology add to the cost of care home fees?

Costs vary widely by provider and region. Basic systems such as call alarms and bed sensors are often included in standard fees, while advanced monitoring or robotic equipment may add to costs or be funded through grants, local authority budgets, or health insurance plans.

Can families access health data collected by wearable devices in a care home?

Access usually depends on the resident's consent, local data protection laws, and the care home's policies. Where a resident lacks capacity, a legal representative such as a power of attorney may be able to view relevant health information.

Do robots replace human caregivers in care homes?

No. Robots and smart devices are designed to support staff by handling routine or physically demanding tasks, freeing caregivers to spend more time on personal contact, emotional support, and clinical care that technology cannot provide.

What design features make a care home dementia friendly?

Dementia friendly design often includes clear signage with pictures, contrasting colors for doors and handrails, good natural lighting, non-reflective flooring, secure outdoor spaces, and small household-style living areas that reduce confusion and anxiety.

How can I tell if a care home is suitable for someone who is blind or has low vision?

Look for tactile and high-contrast signage, consistent furniture layouts, good even lighting, audio or voice-controlled devices, and staff trained in sighted guide techniques. Visiting in person and asking about specialist visual impairment support is also recommended.

Who regulates the quality and safety of care homes?

Care homes are inspected by national or regional regulators, such as the Care Quality Commission in England, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, and state health departments in the United States, which publish inspection reports that families can review.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The vision laid out here is less about replacing human caregivers and more about giving them better tools - and giving residents back a measure of control over their own days. Sunlight-tracking buildings and garden bridges may sound aspirational, but the sensors, wearables, and assistive robotics described are already moving from concept into practice, and their real value will be measured by how well they support dignity, independence, and connection rather than by their novelty alone.*

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by The Royal Blind Society and published on 10 Aug 2017, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.