Smart Home Technology is worth researching and then appropriately utilizing some of the features as they can be incredibly helpful for people who want to Age in Place. It can improve safety, comfort, and convenience and allow you to stay in your home longer. What makes a technology ‘smart’ is its ability to communicate and work with other networked technologies, to allow automated or adaptive functionality as well as remote accessibility from anywhere.
Some examples of smart home technology that can be particularly useful for seniors include Smart exteriors ie safety gates, mailboxes, lighting, cameras, Ring Doorbells etc to Smart interior convenience in the home: kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathrooms.
Best Smart Home Devices of 2023 – by Security.org
- Amazon Smart Plug – Best Smart Plug.
- Nest Wi-Fi Router and Point – Best Wi-Fi Router.
- Vivint – Best Smart Home Security System.
- Amazon Echo Show 5 – Best Smart Home Device for Cooking.
- Nest Protect – Best Smart Home Device for Monitoring Smoke and Carbon Monoxide.
I have personal experience with security monitoring.
Several years ago my late mother-in-law (in her early 90s) was living alone in her house a long distance from all her family. We visited her once or twice a week to make her meals and clean her house. But my husband and his sisters would get very panicked when she didn’t answer her phone (usually she was out in her garden). So he installed specially located security cameras inside and outside her home so both he and his sisters could monitor her from their phones to ensure she was safe and chat with her any time.
Smart Technology, used mindfully can improve our lives (remember life before Google Maps?)
Here’s a list of 7 ideas and this is even before we talk AI!
- Smart locks: Smart locks allow seniors to lock and unlock their doors remotely, without the need for physical keys. They can also receive alerts when someone enters or exits their home.
- Voice-activated assistants: Voice-activated assistants like Amazon Echo or Google Home can help seniors control various functions of their home, such as adjusting the temperature, turning on/off lights, or playing music. This can be especially helpful for those with limited mobility.
- Smart thermostats: Smart thermostats can learn a senior’s temperature preferences and automatically adjust the temperature to their liking. They can also be controlled remotely through a smartphone or voice-activated assistant.
- Smart lighting: Smart lighting can be controlled remotely through a smartphone or voice-activated assistant, allowing seniors to adjust the lighting to their liking without having to physically get up and do so.
- Smart sensors: Smart sensors can detect when a senior falls or has trouble getting up and send an alert to their family members or emergency services.
- Medication reminders: Smart medication dispensers can help seniors remember to take their medications on time by sending reminders and dispensing pills at the appropriate times.
- Smart home security: Smart home security systems can provide peace of mind for seniors and their loved ones by sending alerts and allowing remote monitoring of their homes.
Next am going to do a deep dive into the different options for voice-activated Smart products used for Lighting our Homes including:
- Exterior (motion lights) / Entranceway / Stair lights and
- Room-by-room lighting (layered lighting)
I’m also going to see what the different types of remote control options there are. See you next Tuesday!
Cheers,
Jan Addams
Designer, Author, Treasure Hunter
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