THE HEALTHY HOME LABORATORY: IMPLEMENTING SMART TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE AGING IN PLACE - Symposium Session 4305 - Abstract

Sep 29, 2026

Symposium overview of the Healthy Home Laboratory (HHL), a university-community lab in a 107-year-old home, focused on designing, developing, evaluating, and deploying smart technology solutions that support older adults aging in place. It addresses barriers posed by housing that is not “age-ready,” and aims to reduce the knowledge-to-practice gap by delivering acceptable, sustainable, and effective interventions. The session highlights technologies such as Home Safe and Smart, telehealth readiness assessment pilots, and smart air-quality assessment programs funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Healthy Home Laboratory (HHL) approach

Home Safe and Smart integration

Housing and Urban Development-funded smart air-quality work

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 549 smart technology fall prevention package and medication adherence solutions into low-income senior housing apartments. The final presentation will share results of a pilot supported by the Veterans Affairs to develop a technology preparedness assessment to help Veterans access care through telehealth. SESSION 4305 (SYMPOSIUM) Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1881 THE HEALTHY HOME LABORATORY: IMPLEMENTING SMART TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE AGING IN PLACE Chair: Pamela Toto Discussant: Steven Handler Older adults prefer to remain in their homes as they age. However, according to U.S. Census Bureau, only about 10% of homes are “age-ready.” Many older homes were not designed to support age-related changes and pose unique barriers foraging-in-place. To tackle these challenges, the University of Pittsburgh launched the Healthy Home Laboratory (HHL). HHLis a university-community laboratory established in a 107-yearold home that typifies older housing. An interprofessional team and community partners collaborate in this space to design, develop, evaluate and deploy smart technology solutions foraging-in-place. Representative of real-world challenges in homes, HHL reduces the knowledge-to-practice gap between science and everyday living and accelerates the implementation of solutions that are acceptable, sustainable and effective. This symposium provides an overview of the HHL and showcases smart technologies being implemented through the HHL to complement traditional home modifications for community impact. An introduction to Home Safe and Smart will share facilitators and barriers to integrating smart technology into a person-centered intervention offered through a health plan. Presentations of work funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development will share results of efforts to implement a smart technology air quality assessment program within existing home and community-based services and work-in-progress to implement a

FAQs

What problem does the Healthy Home Laboratory address for aging in place?

It targets the gap created by most homes not being “age-ready,” where older housing is not designed for aging-related changes and presents barriers to staying at home.

How does HHL support development of smart technology solutions?

An interprofessional team and community partners collaborate to design, develop, evaluate, and deploy smart technology solutions in a real older-housing setting.

What smart technologies are showcased in the symposium?

Examples include Home Safe and Smart for person-centered interventions through a health plan, and work-in-progress smart air-quality assessment programs within existing home and community-based services.

Sep 29, 2026

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