Smart Home Technology Options for aging in place

Aging in place is an increasingly common trend as a large portion of the US population ages. Fortunately, smart home technology can help with this.

Aging in place refers to the desire of older people to stay in their homes and communities as they age, rather than moving or relocating. In fact, a 2018 AARP survey found that 77% of adults 50 and older want to age in place. In a recent survey conducted by US News & Report, 93% of the 2,000 adults in the United States aged 55 and older who participated said that aging in place is an important goal for them.

There are many reasons why aging in place is becoming more popular. Another reason is that older people often have strong ties to their families and communities. They may have lived in their home for many years, raised their family there, and developed strong social networks in their community. They may not want to leave their friends and neighbors.

Another reason for the popularity of aging in place is that it can be cheaper than moving to an institution. Although home care can be expensive, it is often offset by the cost of living in a nursing home or assisted living facility.

Aging in place can also be a more suitable option for older people. They may not want to move to a new place, and they may not want to learn how to navigate in a new place.

In addition, older adults in the area tend to be happier and healthier than those who are less healthy. They also tend to have a higher quality of life.

However, there are also some drawbacks to aging in place. Another problem is that older people may need to find ways to get around if they can no longer drive. Another obstacle is that older people may need to make some modifications to their home to make it safer and more accessible. This is where smart home technology can come into play.

In most cases, many types of smart products are available in each of the categories listed below. For groups with fewer products, I’ve mentioned specific items and included links to the manufacturers’ websites.

Smart Sensors

Sensors (motion, temperature, contact, etc.) are an important part of the home that can make the home safer for adults.

• Motion sensors can turn on the lights in the room at night when someone enters to reduce the chances of falling.
• Heat sensors can detect high temperatures that can be a precursor to a house fire – even before smoke is detected. A temperature riser is available as an option for many protection systems. These are very useful in the garage for detecting fires as the smoke detector can be attacked by false alarms from the smoke in the garage.
• Bedside sensors can detect if an adult is too ill to get out of bed and needs help. There are many inexpensive sensors that work as contact sensors, turning on or off depending on whether the bed is occupied. These can be connected to a Shelly relay input, such as the Shelly Plus 1, to make it smart and allow the smart home system to trigger alerts to family members.
• Recent generations of smart watches can detect falls and alert family members
• Smart watches with health sensors can detect ailments, such as atrial fibrillation, that require treatment from a doctor.
• Smart security cameras can be used by family members to monitor adults but this raises potential privacy issues.

Intelligent Speakers/Voice Assistants

Smart speakers/voice assistants (Amazon Echo, Google Nest, Apple HomePod) are also very important to help keep seniors safe in their homes. They allow someone, who cannot access a telephone, due to illness or injury, to call family members, or emergency services, for help. They also allow a person with physical disabilities to control lights and other integrated smart home devices in their home.

Voice commands reduce the learning curve of using a smart device, and games, music and podcasts supported by a smart speaker can be a source of entertainment for someone who might be alone at home.

In addition, there is a wealth of “skills” included that are designed for, or especially useful for, adults. Amazon is even holding a contest in 2022 that challenges developers to write new skills designed specifically for seniors. Here are some of the more interesting options:

• Ask My Buddy – Allows someone to send alert messages to members of their support network or to first responders in an emergency.

• Alexa Together – Alexa Together is Amazon’s subscription service designed to support seniors using Amazon Echo devices in the senior home. It includes personalized alerts to the caregiver as soon as an adult interacts with one of the Alexa devices, 24/7 quick response to a request for help from an adult with an Alexa device, support through members many family, fall response, photo. sharing, and more.

• Podcasts and supplements/skills can be a resource for exercise programs to support health. Another example is Physical Activities: Senior Workout. This tutorial provides “modified 7-minute exercise plans for adults with the goal of developing hip and back muscles as well as core strength for stability.”

• Podcasts and supplements/skills can be a source of healthy recipes. The Alexa Healthy Meals skill provides a random healthy meal recipe every time the skill is activated.

• Devices/skills can enable a person with physical disabilities to access food delivery or transportation services.

• A reminder function built into the tools/skills can remind an adult when to take medication.

Additional Smart Home Devices

Here are some smart home gadgets that can help with aging in place:

• Blinds and motorized windows can facilitate access to issues that an adult may have, especially if, for example, they are in a wheelchair.

• Radiant floor heating requires little maintenance, and eliminates the need to periodically change the furnace filter to keep the furnace running safely and efficiently.

• A targeted alarm system provides security, peace of mind, and quick access to emergency services in the event of an emergency.

• A smart door camera provides additional protection for vulnerable adults. It also allows adults to answer the door as if they were home, even when they are not there. Combined with a smart door lock a homeowner can give someone access to their home even when they cannot physically reach the door.

• A smart thermostat can switch between heating and cooling the home to maintain a safe living environment.

• Smart appliances, such as a smart oven, and food delivery services can reduce the complexity of cooking

• Smart plugs can be used to monitor the power consumption of a device. For example, a smart plug connected to the coffee maker can trigger a notification to the caregiver when the coffee maker is turned on in the morning to notify the caregiver that the senior is awake and out of bed.

• According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), the number one cause of home fires is unattended cooking. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), reports that people over the age of 65 are 2.5 times more likely to be injured or die in a kitchen fire compared to other age groups. age. IGuardStove has models of electric and gas stoves that automatically shut off the stove after a certain period of time if the stove is not actively watched. iGuardStove can also turn off the stove to control an insecure user late at night or accidentally powering up the stove by children or pets, send alerts if the home’s hot or cold temperatures are exceeded, and includes a button emergency shutdown.

• Often, as people age, they develop medical problems that require medication. As the number of medications that a person needs to take grows, scheduling the time to take certain medications as well as the correct dose of each medication can be more difficult. Smart, automated pill dispensers, such as Hero and MedaCube, can simplify the task of taking medication and eliminate dangerous mistakes.

• Dawn House is described as the last resort for hospital beds. The Dawn House bed has adjustable height for easy getting in and out of bed, optional support rail, movable under bed lights, ability to raise the head and/or legs, health and sleep sensors, and anti-snore. Particles.

It’s also worth mentioning that US News and Report highlighted other technologies, besides smart home technology, that have made aging in place easier:

• “Medical or health-related mobile devices
• Services-related equipment (ie, grocery delivery/food service equipment)
• Medical or health wearable trackers
• Hearing aid related equipment
• Medical alert systems/tools”

Samsung offers a solution that integrates SmartThings smart home products and services with US SmartThings users with Galaxy smartphones, SmartThings Family Care. The new training includes task alerts to caregivers if abnormalities are found in users’ daily routines, medication and time reminders, and location notifications to caregivers. In addition, other features of the SmartThings app can be used, including smart home automation.

Finally, for those looking for a more turnkey solution, Caregiver Smart Solutions offers a comprehensive aging in place technology solutions, assistive devices, and full support so that the family is not left trying to put the pieces together. different technologies, so that they do not exist. experts, to create solutions for keeping yourself or an elderly relative safe in their homes.

Aging in place offers real value to older people. It allows them to maintain their independence, it can help them maintain their mental health, maintain their health in general, and it is much cheaper than long-term care facilities. Smart home technology can help make the senior home a safer and healthier environment in which to live.