Digital Technologies and Aging in South Asia and Middle East

Khalid, Muschert, and Daran explore how digital technologies are reshaping elderly care in South Asia and the Middle East, addressing the opportunities and challenges of this transformation through a critical sociological and interdisciplinary lens. This book examines whether technological advancements can bridge or widen existing disparities in healthcare for older adults, using cross-regional perspectives, empirical case studies, and policy analysis from South Asia, the Middle East, and other comparable contexts. It discusses practical solutions for inclusive technology adoption, ethical concerns, and community-driven models, offering actionable insights for policymakers, researchers, healthcare providers, and technology developers working toward equitable and sustainable elderly care. It is an essential volume for academics and researchers in sociology, public policy, Middle Eastern and South Asian studies, as well as policymakers, healthcare professionals, and technology developers interested in exploring technological innovations, policy frameworks, and practical pathways for the digital transformation of aging in the Global South.

Sheeba Khalid is a senior academician and Assistant Professor of Sociology at Amity Law School, Amity University, Lucknow, India, with over 16 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership. She has completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Social Gerontology and specializes in sociology, gerontology, and interdisciplinary studies, with a strong focus on digitalization, ageing, and social policy in South Asia and the Middle East. Dr. Khalid has made significant contributions to curriculum development, interdisciplinary pedagogy, and institutional governance, and has an extensive publication record in Scopus-indexed and peer-reviewed international journals. She currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and is the recipient of the Rex Karmaveer Global Fellowship Award (2024-25), instituted in collaboration with the United Nations, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to education, research, and social development. Glenn W. Muschert is a professor of sociology at Khalifa University, UAE, with a distinguished academic career marked by global engagement, scholarly leadership, and interdisciplinary research. His work addresses key themes in digital inequality, social justice, media sociology, and public health. Dr. Muschert has published extensively on social problems and global transformations, contributing significantly to contemporary sociological discourse. Driss Ed. Daran is an academician and assistant professor of international law at the UAEU, with over 11 years of teaching experience across diverse universities. He earned his Ph.D. from the College of Law, Wuhan University, and has served as a legal counsellor on legal and judicial matters with a local government in Morocco. Dr. Daran was awarded a research grant from the UAEU for his project on the legal and ethical justification of human organ donation. His research focuses on international law and sustainable development, with expertise in comparative legal systems and the ethical dimensions of global governance.

Contents List of Figures List of Tables Biographies of contributors Part 1 Chapter 1. Graying Population and the Digital Divide: Navigating the Issues and Prioritizing User-Friendly Interfaces Yasir Ashraf, Akhila Johnson Chapter 2. Digital Transformation and Sustainability in Aged Care: Innovative Practices and Policy Perspectives Glenn W. Muschert and Fulya -enay Avc- Chapter 3. Bibliometric Analysis of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence Studies in Elderly Care Emine Özmete, Melike Pak and Sinem Cavlak Part 2 Chapter 4. Wearable Technology for Elderly Health: Innovations, Applications, and Social Policy in South Asia and Other Developing Regions Maha AwanChapter 5. Smart Technologies for Cognitive Decline: Innovation in Dementia and Alzheimer's care Garima Wadhwa Chapter 6. AI-Driven Assistive Robotics: Redefining Elderly Independence in Developing Nations Kashmi Mondal and Rajeev Verma Chapter 7. Smart Home Innovations for the Elderly Shefali Walia Part 3 Chapter 8. India's Policy Response to Digital Aging: Ensuring Inclusivity and Accessibility Aradhana Yadav, Sheeba Khalid and Driss Ed.Daran Chapter 9. Bridging the Digital Divide: Geron-technology Adoption Among Institutionalized Older Adults Satish Kr Gupta Part 4 Chapter 10. Telemedicine for Elderly Care: Bridging Gaps and Navigating Challenges in South Asia and Other Developing Regions Maha Awan Chapter 11. Cultural Barriers to Technology Adoption in Elderly Care: Challenges and Opportunities in India Sonia Sharma and Piyali Sarkar Chapter 12. Cash-Based Assistance for Social Inclusion of Survivors of War in the Digital Age Nkole Zulu, Mwamba Kapambwe, and Yvonne Nawila Chapter 13. Attitudes Toward Technological Advancements in Digital Services in India Raushan Kumar, Niranjan Deo Pathak, Pavnesh Kumar, Chirag Dhankhar Chapter 14. Enhancing Elderly Care in India: Linking Wearable Technology with Digital Healthcare Initiatives Swaty Wadhwa and. Rupali Rawat Chapter 15. Transforming Dementia Care in India: The Promises and Challenges of AI and Digital Health Technologies Anganabha Baruah and Ilika Guha Majumdar Part 5 Chapter 16. The Future of Elderly Care: Digital Solutions and International Collaborations. Malobika Bose and Jayanti Srivastava Appendix Index