I have heard it said on more than one occasion that getting old is not for the faint of heart. Among the many challenges that come with age is the realization that you may not be able to stay in your home forever. But there are ways to delay, or completely avoid, having to sell the home and move. Smart home technology is just one of them.
Modern smart home devices are making it possible for seniors to stay in their homes longer. The right devices can help whether a senior is sight challenged, mobility challenged, or just lacking the peace of mind needed to get a good night’s sleep. And what helps seniors stay in their homes longer also helps their children feel more comfortable with such arrangements.
No Shortage of Options
This post was partly inspired by a Q&A post published by the East Idaho News. Author Jim Miller fielded a question sent in by a reader hoping to help her senior mother remain in her home. She and her mother were already looking at smart home tech to make it happen. She wanted Miller’s advice in terms of specific devices she should be looking for. Needless to say, there was no shortage of possible devices.
The very first item on Miller’s list was a smart speaker. I think this is a wise choice. A smart speaker offers a ton of functionality perfectly suited to seniors. For example, it can be programmed to provide audio reminders. So an adult child can program a smart speaker to remind his parents to take their medications.
Smart speakers can also act as voice-activated smart home hubs. Paired with smart light fixtures, a smart speaker gives a homeowner the ability to turn lights on and off simply by speaking commands. What a tremendous benefit to mobility challenged seniors who might find it difficult to walk to a light switch.
The Fully Integrated Smart Home
Miller’s post went on to mention nearly a dozen other devices including smart light bulbs, plugs, video doorbells, and thermostats. He was more or less describing a fully integrated smart home system offering a range of functionalities that can be activated by voice, mobile device, or central panel.
No specific brand was promoted above the others, but my mind was immediately drawn to Vivint Smart Home. Vivint is one of several nationwide smart home and home security providers offering fully integrated systems out of the box. One of their biggest advantages is that they offer 24-hour monitoring.
From a security standpoint, this is huge. Monitoring a system does wonders for preventing burglary and home invasion. But monitoring also increases personal safety in terms of both fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. If I were installing a home automation system for aging parents, I would absolutely pay for monthly monitoring.
Potential Health Emergencies
Miller also mentioned a medical alert system in his post. This is one option that I would consider a must-have for seniors. Adding a medical alert feature to a home automation system does not cost much, but the payoff could be huge. A medical alert feature would also give both aging seniors and their adult children an added sense of peace knowing that help is only a push button away in the event of an emergency.
Thanks to advancements in smart home tech, seniors can now stay in their homes longer. I cannot think of a better gift to give to aging parents who are much happier in their own homes than they would be in assisted living facilities.