Clinical Interventions in Aging

Innovative Care Models for Older Adults: The Role of Telehealth and Emerging Technologies

The rapid growth in the older adult population is driving health care systems to adopt a wide range of technology-enabled solutions to deliver care to this segment of the population. This approach has transformed how older adults receive care by offering diverse benefits, including greater accessibility, improved chronic disease management, and enhanced satisfaction for both patients and caregivers. Timely interventions and reduced travel demands are especially valuable for individuals with mobility limitations or those residing in rural areas. However, despite these benefits, widespread adoption of digital solutions remains challenging. Overcoming hurdles and tailoring interventions to meet the unique needs of older adults are crucial. This Article Collection will highlight evidence-based research and innovative strategies that advance person-centered and high-quality care for older adults.

Older adults are increasingly using digital health technologies, such as telehealth, mobile health, patient portals, and wearable devices.¹ However, some older adults still face barriers in adopting technology-enabled care that can lead to inequities. Barriers include challenges in learning or accessing new technologies, age-related biases, and difficulty using technologies that are not designed to support patients with age-related issues such as cognitive decline or sensory impairments.²

To address these gaps, health care providers and health systems must ensure that technology-enabled care meets the needs of older adults and addresses the barriers they face. The Principles and Guidelines for Telehealth and Aging offer a roadmap for delivering telehealth in ways that are person-centered, equitable, accessible, integrated, and coordinated.³ Beyond telehealth, the same principles can guide broader technology-enabled care strategies to ensure solutions are tailored to the unique needs of older adults, leading to improved care delivery and outcomes.

This Article Collection for Clinical Interventions in Aging seeks submissions that explore how technology-enabled care can be delivered to older adults in ways that meet their needs and that are person-centered, equitable, accessible, integrated, and coordinated. We welcome evidence-based research, interventions, and insights highlighting solutions that overcome barriers to technology adoption and improve clinical outcomes in aging populations. Potential topics include:

• Evidence-based virtual and hybrid care models that expand health care access for older adults in underserved areas
• Innovative digital health tools designed to address age-related health challenges
• Advanced technologies that facilitate data exchange across electronic health records, improving care coordination for older adults with complex needs
• Caregiver integration tools that enhance support for older adults, particularly those experiencing cognitive decline

The goal of this Article Collection is to provide actionable insights that advance effective, equitable care practices to improve health and quality of life for older adults.

Sources:

1. James CA, Basu T, Nallamothu BK, Kullgren JT. Use of digital health technologies by older US adults. JAMA Network Open. 2025;8(1).
2. Leff B, Ritchie CS, Rising KL, Cannon K, Wardlow L. Addressing barriers to equitable telehealth for older adults. Frontiers in Medicine. 2025;12.
3. Wardlow L, Leff B, Biese K, et al. Development of telehealth principles and guidelines for older adults: A modified Delphi Approach. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2022;71(2):371-382.

Dr. Liane Wardlow, PhD is the Senior Director of Clinical Research and Telehealth at the West Health Institute. With 20 years of experience in research across various disciplines, industries, and organizations, Dr. Wardlow has contributed to initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, the University of California, San Diego’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Pearson Education, and now the West Health Institute. Her current research focuses on improving health service delivery to enhance the lives of older adults. This includes optimizing care-in-place models, such as telehealth, home-based primary care, home-based palliative care, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). These healthcare delivery models aim to improve health outcomes, quality of life, and care experiences while reducing costs and enabling older adults to age in place with dignity.

Dr. Laurie Archbald-Pannone, MD, MPH serves as the Claude Moore Associate Professor of Geriatrics, as well as in Infectious Diseases, at the University of Virginia School Of Medicine. As a geriatrician and infectious disease specialist with extensive experience in geriatric medicine and facility-based infection control and prevention, Dr. Archbald-Pannone has over 15 years of clinical and research expertise in the post-acute and long-term care setting (PALTC). She serves as an invited member of the Virginia Department of Health's Long-Term Care Advisory Task Force and, with funding support from VDH, serves as the medical director of the Virginia IMPACT. She is actively involved in medical education, currently serving as College Dean for Student Affairs at the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine.

Dr. Suzanne Gillespie, MD is a geriatrician and Certified Medical Director. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics and Aging at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and the past president of the Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript. The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 30 Nov 2025.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code RLAAM to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Please contact the Sam Zhang at sam.zhang@taylorandfrancis.com with any queries and discounts regarding this Article Collection.