Smart home technologies have made life a lot easier than before. It proves to be a helping hand for older adults who have trouble moving around or remembering certain things. Hands-free and app-controlled devices let your loved ones do everything with great ease. With smart technology, one can use customized tools according to their schedule.
Within a network range, you can set up an automation that works in sequence. For instance, the motion sensor in the living room or bedroom detects movement and automatically switches the light. Smart home technology helps the elderly to live a quality life, but it’s quite surprising that more people aren’t using this technology. Life is different when we age; our older loved ones have to face many hurdles to complete their daily routine. Whether you appoint a caregiver or not, somewhere in your mind, you always worry about them. This smart technology will help not only them but you too. You can have a sense of peace that they’re in comfort and safety.
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Smart Pill Dispenser
Our memory suffers the most with age. If your loved ones forget to take their medications on time, you can buy a smart pill dispenser for them. Nowadays, you can connect it with smartphones and tablets too. Using the pill dispenser, your loved one can know when they took medicine, and you can also see the notifications when they do so.
Security Devices
Everyone wants to be safe in their home, but as we age, it becomes a challenge. If your loved ones are worried about their security from robberies or invasions or even a house fire, you can install these security devices in and around the house to keep track of everything. Below are some home security options to help make your loved one feel safe.
- Security Cameras
If you’re concerned about what’s happening at your parent’s house when you’re away, you can install security cameras on the outside of the house. This way, your older loved ones can know who’s standing outside and whether or not to entertain them.
- Smart Locks
Consider smart locks if you and your loved one are concerned about the security of your front door. These locks are designed to work with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or voice assistants. Connected the smart lock to your phone, and it will send an update when your loved ones come and go. Smart locks are also handy if you find that your loved one forgets to lock the door or if they lock themselves out of the house.
- Video Doorbell
Sometimes, the thought of someone invading our loved one’s house might scare us to the core. A video doorbell will let your family member see who’s standing outside the door and whether to let them in. It will also show who is at the door when no one is home.
- Smoke Alarms
If your aging family member has a hard time remembering things, you can install a smart smoke alarm in the house. This way, the device sends a notification to your phone when something is not right.
Smart Appliances and Lighting
Your loved one will no longer need to move in the dark in search of light. Instead of risking an injury, you can install smart lighting in your elder ones’ room. They can activate light bulbs with voice commands or activate a motion sensor to turn on lights. You can also bring home smart appliances like a coffee maker or lamp that could be operated with voice commands. These smart devices are very affordable and will give your family members a comfortable life.
Smart Cleaning Device
With age, keeping the house clean becomes a challenge. You can bring home this smart device. The word may build an image of something expensive and futuristic, but it is nothing new. Robot vacuums can clean and soak dirt and debris from the floor, carpet, and tile. The onboard sensors in the device can tell where stairs and walls are to avoid any obstacle.
Smart Thermostat
With a smart thermostat, your loved one won’t have to leave the bed to control the air conditioner or heater. Like the other devices on our list, a smart thermostat can be controlled through voice commands or mobile apps. Some brands allow you to set automatic temperatures, and it will change according to the weather conditions, daily schedule, and heating or cooling needs.
Medical Alert Devices
Not knowing that your loved one needs you is the worst kind of nightmare. If your aging family member lives independently, then a medical emergency is a serious concern for you both. You can give medical alert pendants to your loved ones. These devices can connect to your phone or tablet, and with one press of a button, you can know when something’s not right.
Smart Speakers
Nowadays, a smart speaker is not just a hunk of plastic. Smart Speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home act as smart hubs and can connect to multiple devices in your house. Your loved one can make calls, operate other smart devices, listen to the news, read recipes, and play music and audiobooks with voice commands.
Smart Oven
According to records, the leading cause of fire in the house is a stove fire. You can use smart devices to notify your loved one if they accidentally forgot to turn off the stove or oven. You can buy a smart monitor that works with electric stoves only. This item lets you know if you’ve left the stove on though it is not an automatic turn-off; instead, it’s an app that sends a notification.
The other thing you can buy is IGuard Stove. It works with a motion sensor that detects when you came and left the kitchen and whether you returned. It has an automatic oven shut off timer which shuts your oven off after a set time.
Smart Reminders
With age, people tend to forget things. That is why we’ve included smart reminders on our list. You can record personal reminders and can hear them up to 100 feet away. This allows the older folks to hear when to take medicine and whether they have any visitors for the day. You can record your message in any language.
Smart Pet Feeder
Pet owners have said that their stress levels have reduced, and they can connect more with the outside world more after getting a pet. Many elderly pet owners have admitted they have difficulty taking proper care of their pets with age-related struggles. To fight this, you can bring home a smart pet feeder.
This smart device provides the same amount of food and water for every meal to your pet. You can also get notifications after the food is dispensed to your pets. It is an excellent device for older pet owners who have mobility or memory loss issues.
Smart Outlets
To use a smart outlet, you simply plug the device into the wall and then plug the other item, such as a lamp, into the smart outlet. You can turn on or off any device through your mobile app or voice command using these smart plugs. You can adjust lights, operate kitchen appliances, and many more.
If you have a mobility issue, these plugs can help you immensely. All the appliances that are easily forgotten can pose a potential fire hazard. After leaving home, if you remember you’ve left the oven, curling iron or any other device plugged in, you can switch it off from wherever you are with your mobile phone.
Smart Washer and Dryer
With a smart cloth washer, the owner can track their dry and wash cycles, the energy uses, and alert when the duct gets seriously clogged. Seniors can manage their laundry load and can know when it’s the time for dryer maintenance.
Smart Leak Detector
A burst or leaky pipe could be a severe problem not only for seniors but for everybody. It can damage the property and drive up the water bill. You can install smart leak detectors to your pipe system to know the change in water pressure, usage, etc. The user can get alerts of running toilets, showers, faucets, etc. A Wi-Fi enabled device sends all these alerts. Also, the plumbers can easily detect if there’s a leak in your system.
The Bottom Line
Though it’s a fact that seniors today are less technology-dependent than younger generations, we have to accept that we need some support and care after a certain age. Learning to use these smart devices will help older citizens and their family members who are always worried about them.
If your elderly loved ones live independently or face some issues, these smart technology devices could be everything you need to make their life more manageable. These devices can improve safety as they send notifications to the concerned when something happens and help reach older people in no time.
Despite all the benefits, what matters the most is peace of mind. Knowing that your elder family member is living a comfortable and safe life at home while you’re away is the best feeling ever.
