How Wearable Technologies Generate Value in Older Adult Care: An Axiomatic Model

Wearable technologies are increasingly used in older adult care; however, a coherent framework explaining how these technologies generate value remains lacking.

This study aims to develop a clear and ethically grounded framework for understanding how wearable technologies generate value in older adult care, with relevance to nursing practice.

Using a formal, non-numerical axiomatic conceptualization approach, we constructed a theory-building model by defining key system components, specifying foundational assumptions and logically deriving their implications for care and design.

The framework identifies 10 core system entities and nine governing axioms that describe the necessary conditions under which wearable-generated data become meaningful, actionable and ethically acceptable in older adult care. From these axioms, six logically derived theorems articulate how monitoring can support early detection, safety, adherence and care integration. These theorems are translated into seven practical design principles to guide evaluation and implementation. Value generation is conceptualized as a staged process, from data capture to care outcomes, conditioned by human and system factors such as adherence, usability, trust, safety, relevance and clinical integration.

This model provides a common language for researchers, designers, and nurses to evaluate and design wearable technologies that enhance safety, autonomy, and well-being while preserving dignity, trust and relational care in older adult populations.