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I am writing this complete guide to a smart home for seniors and the disabled who might be researching the topic of creating a smart home and haven’t found the answers to their needs.
Technology has come a long way in how it interacts in our daily lives, and that interaction needs to include people with disabilities. This topic has become a little personal as my mom is aging and is disabled due to a ruptured ligament in her knee.
Recently, we traveled with my mom from New York to Atlanta and I could see how much help she needed from the car to board the airline. it was truly an eye-opening experience.
As the author of this blog, I felt that I could do more by providing smart home technology information to seniors and people living with disabilities, and here’s how.
Why Smart Home Technology for Seniors and the Disabled?
Smart homes have been getting smarter and more affordable over the last few years. According to Statista, the smart house market will approach 40 billion USD in the US alone by 2020.
Smart home technology has the ability to provide the elderly and the disabled with help to allow them to remain active and maintain conditions needed to live an independent lifestyle.
The increase of smart home technology in homes will improve the quality of life in comfort, safety, and efficiency which is the keys to reducing waste and saving the planet but also provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to regain control.
What is a Smart Home?
A smart home is defined in several ways but is mostly known for comfort, entertainment, and security.
Most smart home devices are connected to the internet, also knowns as ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) and most have smartphone apps that allow you to access and control them remotely over wi-fi.
For example, you can set–up cameras that will alert you if there is motion around your home or you can have a smart thermostat which will allow you to adjust the temperature in your home when you are not there.
But that just some examples and there is so much more services that can be provided to the elderly and disabled, so let’s discuss them here.
What is the benefit of a Smart Home for Seniors and the Disabled?
For Seniors and the disabled, there are many benefits that smart home products bring, especially regular task around the home. I’m surprised more people aren’t using them already. Again, it’s all about discussing the quality of life.
Comfort
A smart home allows you to control your home climate and temperature from anywhere from an app on your phone or tablet.
Safety
A smart home allows you to monitor your home security cameras from any smart device. You will receive alerts from all visitors in any area in or around your home. Also, push notifications and alerts for potential safety, energy, plumbing or any electrical situations.
Efficiency
The smart home also provides energy efficiency savings when lights are automatically turned off in empty rooms and can heat or cool a room based on who’s there at any given moment.
Entertainment
You can control the audio around your house with voice control which can be great for the elderly and people with visual disabilities. This can also be done wirelessly through your computer, phone or tablet. This is great for home theater or entertainment systems.
Smart home technology provides tremendous benefits for the elderly and the disabled living independently.
Henry Claypool, former Director of the Health and Human Services Office on Disability and a founding Principal Deputy Administrator of the Administration for Community Living said, “This idea of having connected devices in your home, a smart home, really is a boon to people with all kinds of disabilities.”
Concerns from Seniors and the Disabled have About Smart Home
Cost
Yes, Smart home systems are not cheap but affordable and an investment in the quality of your life. Setting up an entire automated smart home, in the beginning, is not ideal unless you are wealthy like Bill Gates. You can start by choosing the areas of your home you occupy the most and then add upon it.
The most common smart home device people start with is smart lighting, so lights can turn on and off remotely through an app or voice command.
If you still need financial assistance, there are nonprofits programs that help the disabled and elderly. For example, if you are a disabled veteran there are programs like R.I.S.E., which use adaptive technology in order to meet each individual’s needs based on their strengths and weaknesses.
Privacy
When it comes to privacy this is a top priority for most of the smart home community and I have several articles on this topic that tackle this issue such as, are smart speakers invading my privacy.
Some of these smart devices like the Google Home or Alexa have mute buttons to turn off the microphone.
Also, keep your smart home or devices up to date, don’t put off installing updates. Most of these devices update on its own in the background as a default unless you have it as manual updates. Check the setting of your devices.
Support Services
When it comes to support services, there are some who prefer face to face help and there is nothing wrong with that, whatever works for you. It’s always good to see a smiley face but in some cases, there has been reporting’s of missing money, stolen home health care accessories and even their social security information used from home care services.
Becoming independent with smart home technology can help prevent these criminal acts in your home.
Here are some smart home devices for the disability
- Voice assistants
- Thermostats
- Lights
- Door locks
- Doorbells
- Robotic vacuum cleaners
- Garage doors
- Curtains and blinds
- Smart Key finder
- Medical alert smartwatch
- Security system (motion detectors, cameras, etc.)
- And much more
Voice Assistant
Voice Assistant is something you should consider especially if you are unable to move, and reach the phone for an emergency situation. You can call your loved one by calling out their names and telling the speaker to contact that person who can help you.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats allow for convenience in your home. You don’t have to get out your bed at night to adjust the temperature, it’s all done by app, voice or algorithm adapts to your liking.
Some will also send you energy reports based on your usage patterns to gradually move you towards a more efficient, economical heating and cooling routine.
Smart Lights
With a couple of sensors around your home, smart lighting makes the work out of remembering to shut off the lights. Just one less thing to think about.
You can also control your light settings with voice control using your Google Home or Alexa. You can schedule the time of the day to automatically to turn on or off.
If you are looking for my recommended smart lights, then I would suggest reading about what I consider the best smart light you can buy right now.
Smart Door Locks
A smart lock is added convenience to your home but also leaves a sense of security.
They can make your life easier, allowing family members unlimited access, dog walking services, or support services the ability to pop in often to check on you.
They are not perfect either, there have been connectivity issues and since it’s connected to a Wi-Fi network, it’s possible for a smart lock to be hacked.
Smart Doorbells
Smart doorbells are great to see who’s at the door without getting out of your seat. Maybe you are in a wheelchair and need more time to get from point A to point B, instead of rushing to get to the door.
Now, you can tell that person that it will take you a bit longer then they expect for you to get to the door allowing their impatience to settle down.
When this technology is combined with a smart door lock and it’s a familiar face you can now unlock the door without coming to them.
Smart Robot Vacuum
I can say this is one of my favorite smart devices in our home. Don’t get me wrong I love to vacuum but it takes up a lot of time which I don’t have.
This can be a difficult task for a senior or disabled person pushing around a heavy vacuum cleaner. Smart vacuums like Shark and Roomba take all the work out of this everyday chore.
You can set a schedule and monitor from your smartphone. Once the smart vacuum is finished cleaning it goes right back to its dock.
The only task you are responsible for is emptying out the dustpan. Personally, we have a Shark and we couldn’t imagine life without it, especially with 3 boys.
You can read my article about the best affordable smart vacuum cleaner.
Smart Garage Door
Smart garage door openers can be helpful for the disabled in several different ways.
Such as opening the garage from anywhere and the automatic features allow you the ability to schedule an opening and closing times, which enables an extra dimension of security for your home.
Smart Curtains and blinds
Smart Curtains and blinds are easy to operate with a press of a button and are perfect for the elderly and disabled that spend a lot of time at home.
This prevents them from either reaching or climbing on to their something in order to open or close the window treatments.
Smart Key Finder
As we age, we tend to start losing or memory. We forget our phone number, someone’s name and important home items such as our house keys.
Now, there is technology such as a Bluetooth device that can find your keys by connecting it to a smartphone.
You attached it to your keys to help keep track just in case you misplace them in your home. No installation is required, just pairing with your mobile device.
Medical Alert Smart Watch
Apple recently released a smartwatch that has a built-in sensor to alert you on your temperature, heart rate and variety of health-related information. It also has an internal gyroscope and accelerometer which can tell when you fall and call for help.
If a hard fall occurs, your smartwatch will send out “emergency SOS” or “I fell, but I’m OK.” message.
If you are motionless for more than 60 seconds after the fall, the watch automatically places a call to an emergency responder and sends a message to your caregiver. Pretty cool!
For more detailed information, please visit Apple.com.
Security system
Having security around your home is a concern at any age, especially for the elderly and disabled. A home security system is the highest expensive when you are dealing with smart home technology but absolutely worth investment.
They’re also affordable ones, such as SimpliSafe which is sleek and stylish. Easy to set-up and won’t require you to pay for an electrician.
Smart home security systems make it easy for seniors and the disabled to manage their homes and see what is happening around their homes. Here is my article on Smart Home Security Devices that will keep your home safe.
Final Note
We are fortunate enough to live in the time of smart home technology, as homes get smarter in the coming years, the quality of life will last longer.
For seniors and the disabled, the benefits of this technology can make their life more comfortable, safe and entertaining.
We are all aging at some point so it’s best to adjust now with home automation and smart technology.
Don’t forget to check out our recommended gadgets for the best tech for your buck.
For more useful tips and tricks with Home automation, please continue to check out AutomateYourCrib.com.
Please e-mail me (rodney@automateyourcrib.com) your opinion, comment or if you have any ideas for a future post you would like to read, drop me a line or two as I appreciate my audience. Thank you again for reading this post.
Until next time, Happy Reading!!
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It's great to see that you have come across my website. I hope you explore it thoroughly. The website caters to regular consumers who have an interest in home automation. I am based in the Tri-state area and enjoy the latest smart tech along with my wonderful wife and three energetic boys.
