This paper analyzes the mechanisms through which digital technologies contribute to the development of the silver economy, with a particular focus on smart elderly care as a typical application scenario. By constructing an analytical framework linking digital technology, service provision, and economic outcomes, the study explores how digitalization can enhance resource allocation, risk management, and service innovation in elderly care. At the same time, it critically examines the structural dilemmas encountered in practice, including the digital divide among older adults, data governance and privacy risks, the sustainability of business models, and fragmented institutional coordination.The findings suggest that digital technology does not automatically translate into effective economic empowerment. Its impact on the silver economy is highly dependent on institutional arrangements, governance capacity, and user adaptability. The paper argues for a more cautious and people-centered approach to smart elderly care development and provides policy implications for promoting the sustainable and inclusive growth of the silver economy.
Huang Haoyang (Wed,) studied this question.