Exploring the Application of Information and Communication Technologies in Age-Friendly Healthcare: A Systematic Scoping Review

The rapidly aging global population is placing immense pressure on healthcare systems, which are struggling to meet the needs of older adults. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are considered a key driver in supporting the development of age-friendly healthcare models. This scoping review aims to map and structure the multifaceted applications of ICTs in age-friendly healthcare, focusing on their design, benefits, challenges, and implementation in different contexts. We followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and conducted a systematic search of five major databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and IEEE Xplore), supplemented with backward citation chaining to improve the robustness of literature identification. The results show that ICTs can help older adults by improving their access to healthcare information, enhancing their care coordination, supporting their independent living, and personalizing their health management. Key challenges include user experience issues for older adults, data privacy and security concerns, and implementation barriers related to resources and professional support. Effective implementation of ICTs requires greater emphasis on age-centered design, robust data governance, and scalable integration with existing healthcare systems. We further propose a Technology Design–Scenario Application–Effect Evaluation (TD-SA-EE) analytical framework for ICT application in age-friendly healthcare; the framework is grounded in sociotechnical systems theory to provide explanatory insights beyond descriptive classification. This research provides insights into optimizing age-friendly healthcare through ICTs and contributes to fully leveraging ICTs in building sustainable and equitable age-friendly healthcare systems.