Technology in health and social care: a critical reflection from across two continents

An ageing population, with pressure on health care and social care capacity, is driving demand for innovative solutions to support independence at home. Digital technologies have been proposed as a way to respond to these challenges, and as a consequence, the delivery of care is being transformed. However, in spite of technology being positioned as a panacea to meet the current challenges facing health and social care, a lack of critical discourse around technology use in this context is of concern. Issues regarding user acceptance, role of care technology and setting realistic expectations on what technology can contribute to these challenges have yet to be addressed.