Wearable Devices & Elderly: A Bibliometric Analysis of 2014–2024

The ageing population demands effective health solutions for the elderly. Wearable devices offer real-time monitoring and early alerts, but a comprehensive review of research in this field is lacking. This study uses bibliometric methods to analyse trends and advances in wearable devices for the elderly. Methods: Literature from 2014 to 2024 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection using keywords related to the elderly and wearable devices. A total of 1015 English-language papers were analysed using tools including CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R-Bibliometrix. Results: The annual growth rate of publications was 7.65%, with research increasing from 4 in 2014 to 1015 in 2024. Major contributors were the United States and China, with key authors including Bijan Najafi and Lynn Rochester. Research shifted from fall detection and activity monitoring to heart rate variability, balance, and AI integration. Key themes included “digital health,” “wearable technology,” and “cardiac health monitoring.” Conclusions: Research on wearable devices for the elderly is growing rapidly. Future studies should focus on multimodal sensor fusion, AI-enhanced analytics and personalised health interventions, and long-term, real-world validation of wearable solutions to improve elderly health management.