Dementia and the Regulation of Gerontechnology

The federal regulation of gerontechnology in the United States is a complex issue spread across multiple agencies. In addition, gerontechnology is not a unified area, but covers multiple types of technology that can help with medical care, safety monitoring, communication, and mobility, most recently through advances in robotics. This chapter reviews the nature of federal regulation as it impacts the development, safety, efficacy, monitoring, and use of gerontechnology for dementia care through an examination of the different types of dementia and specific care needs that arise within them, followed by consideration of the specific federal agencies that regulate a multifaceted gerontechnology field. The chapter concludes with recommendations for creating a common core of knowledge across the many disciplines contained in the field of gerontechnology.