Smart home tools for seniors
With more and more talk about smart homes and smart-home products becoming increasingly available to the average consumer, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. With everything from motion detectors, to in-home video monitors, many older Americans may want a better understanding of how they can actually use smart-home technologies in their everyday lives, without compromising privacy. To help, we’ve examined a few smart home devices that can aid in making life easier for aging Americans.
Amazon’s “Echo” and Google’s “Home” are perfect digital assistants for use around the home. These devices use voice recognition and connection to the internet to allow the user to accomplish simple tasks such as setting alarms, checking weather, playing music, making lists, looking up answers to simple questions and controlling other smart devices. All of this adds up to a device that can do each of these things and more for you, just by using your voice. Perfect for those who need gentle reminders or who may have trouble with mobility. Certain models may soon have apps that allow the user to call for police or an ambulance in case of emergency.
Having a camera system in one’s home is a great way to stay secure and safe. Seniors are more often victims of theft because thieves see them as easier targets. Home monitoring has been made far simpler through the increased availability of security cameras. Combined with wireless connection to other smart devices, home owners can easily check the state of their home while they are away. As an added bonus, the wireless nature of these cameras means they can’t be disabled by cutting wires found in many older systems.
Family members can also use these kinds of cameras to check in on older family members. The monitoring has the capacity to allow increased independence for seniors while enhancing safety. However, privacy is a major concern with regard to home monitoring systems. Health related data is always private in nature. It should never feel like a boundary has been crossed in the name of ‘preserving’ a parent’s right to remain in their home of choice.
Smart lightbulbs can also be used to make a home safer and more enjoyable for seniors. Many options are out there including bulbs with dimmers and color changers to reduce eye strain. All of these features can be controlled either by the user’s phone or by voice command when paired with other devices. Perfect for seniors who may have problems with mobility. As an added bonus, many smart bulbs use LEDs which last longer than traditional light bulbs, eliminating the need for precarious bulb changes.
One of the biggest issues of bringing smart technology into a senior’s home is that it’s one of the places they still have control over. Although the whole arrangement can sometimes seem a bit intrusive, with proper usage and privacy protection always in consideration, technology can relieve families of a lot of stress. With a small investment and a bit of knowhow, making smart-home improvements can not only make one’s golden years more enjoyable, they can add to those years by increasing safety and peace of mind.
For more information on aging related issues contact Elderbridge Agency on Aging at www.elderbridge.org or 800-243-0678. You may also contact LifeLong Links at www.lifelonglinks.org or 866-468-7887.
