By Christine Vanlandingham
Recently, I was talking with a friend about some physical changes he is navigating and the tools that might help him continue doing the things that matter to him.
At some point in our conversation, I realized something obvious: we were both wearing glasses.
Neither of us thinks much about them. We put them on and go about our lives. I have worn glasses for years because they help me do the things I want and need to do – work, drive, recognize faces across a room and participate in the world around me.
Glasses are assistive technology.
Hearing aids are assistive technology, too. Yet many of us think differently about those two tools. We may put on glasses without a second thought, while using a hearing aid can feel like a much bigger step. But both help us do essentially the same thing: stay connected to the people, activities and world around us.
What if we thought about other assistive devices in much the same way? Not as symbols of what someone can no longer do, but simply as tools that help us keep doing what matters.
That is the idea behind USAging’s 2026 Home for the Holidays campaign, which is focusing this year on assistive technology and the ways it can help older adults and people with disabilities remain independent, safe and connected, while also supporting family caregivers.
Assistive technology covers an enormous range of devices. It can be decidedly low-tech: a jar opener, grab bar, shower seat, adaptive eating utensil, cane or walker. Or it can involve newer technology such as smartphone accessibility features, medication reminders, hearing aids and other hearing-assistive devices, wearable technology, voice assistants, home sensors or video calling.
The important question isn’t how sophisticated the technology is. It is: What does this tool make possible?
Can it help someone prepare a meal safely? Get out of the house? Keep an appointment? Hear the conversation at a family gathering? Continue volunteering? Manage medications more independently? Stay connected to friends? Give a family caregiver greater peace of mind?
Those may sound like questions about technology, but they are really questions about dignity, choice and the life each person wants to live.
For caregivers, the right tool can make a difference as well. Assistive technology can reduce some of the repeated tasks, physical effort and coordination that caregiving requires. It isn’t a replacement for human connection or care. It can, however, make caregiving more manageable while supporting the independence of the person receiving care.
That’s particularly worth remembering during the holidays. Time together can make us aware that something has changed for a parent, spouse, sibling, friend or even ourselves. Our instinct may be to focus on what is becoming difficult.
Perhaps we can ask a different question: What is important to you, and is there a tool that could help you keep doing it?
USAging encourages people considering assistive technology to start in much the same place: identify something you enjoy or want to continue doing that has become more challenging, then explore whether a tool could help. Area Agencies on Aging can help identify possible solutions and connect people with other assistive technology resources.
As our conversation ended, my friend took off his glasses, put them in their case and said, “I better put my tools away.”
I smiled.
Maybe that’s the invitation for all of us: to think a little differently about the tools available to us and remain open to the next one.
Because accepting a little help doesn’t mean giving up independence. Sometimes, the right tool is exactly what helps us keep it.
If you or someone you care about could benefit from assistive technology, there are resources available to help explore what might work best. To learn more about assistive technology and available resources, contact Area Agency on Aging staff at 800-654-2810 or visit areaagencyonaging.org.