Thus, they are not readily receptive to considering assistive technology. If the elderly do determine that a particular item would be helpful, funding is often a problem. They don't know how to begin to get Medicare to pay for devices or they may find that Medicare just doesn't pay for AT for daily living. Therefore, the elderly usually pay for many items out of their own pockets. In designing outreach efforts to the elderly, Tech Act projects need to take into consideration these issues.
Projects also have the underlying goal that their activities lead to systemic changes.
In the case of outreach efforts, projects hope these efforts will build the capacity of other agencies and institutions so that the change will be sustainable. Strategies Used by Projects Tech Act projects have used a range of strategies to reach the elderly populations in their states. Here are some examples from a few of the state projects. Direct linkages to agencies and groups who work with the aging is important for meaningful collaboration and outreach efforts. Several Tech Act projects include a representative from interest groups focused on the aging on their advisory board.