By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
I’ve been talking to my mobility challenged mother, who lives alone, about automating her house
with some smart home products to make it more convenient. She’s very interested but we’d like
to get your opinion as to which types of smart devices are most helpful for seniors aging in
place.
Searching Daughter
Dear Searching,
If your mother is game, smart home products – such as smart lights, video doorbells and voice-
activated speakers – can be very useful for aging in place. These devices can add safety and
convenience to a home by providing voice and app-controlled operation, which is extremely
helpful for seniors who have mobility issues or reduced vision.
Smart home technology can also provide family members peace-of-mind by giving them the
ability to electronically keep tabs on their elder loved one when they can’t be there.
If you’re interested in adding some smart home products to your mom’s house, she’ll need home
Wi-Fi installed, and she’ll need either a smartphone, tablet or smart speaker to operate them. To
help you get started, here are some different types of devices to consider that are very helpful to
older adults.
Smart speakers: A smart speaker – like the Amazon Echo, Google Nest or Apple HomePod –
can serve as the brains of a smart home, controlling the devices with voice commands or
automating them.
These devices can also play your mom’s favorite music, read audiobooks, make calls, set timers
and alarms, provide reminders for medications, appointments and other things, check traffic and
weather, answer questions, call for help in emergency situations and much more – all done by
voice commands.
Smart light bulbs: To help prevent home falls – which are often caused by fumbling around a
dark room looking for a light switch – smart light bulbs will let your mom turn on and off the
lights by voice command, smartphone or tablet. These bulbs can also change brightness and
color and be programmed to come on and off whenever she wants.
Smart plugs: These small units plug into a standard outlet and connect to the internet. That
means your mom can control whatever she plugs into them – from a space heater to a coffee
maker – using her voice or phone.
Video doorbell: Safety is also a concern for older adults, especially those who live alone. A
video doorbell would let your mom see and speak to visitors at the door without having to walk
over and open it.
Smart locks: For convenience and safety, smart locks would give your mom keyless entry to her
home, provide customized access to family, friends and caregivers, and let you monitor who
comes and goes from your mom’s house.
Smart thermostat: This lets your mom preprogram or manually control the temperature in her
home with voice command or via phone, and let you monitor it too.
Smart smoke alarms: These will alert your mom when smoke or carbon monoxide is detected
and will also send alerts to your phone if a problem is detected.
Stovetop shut-off: To prevent home cooking fires, smart stovetop shut-off devices, like the
IGuardStove, will turn off electric and gas stovetops when left unattended, and will alert you via
text.
Medical alert system: These devices provide wearable wrist and/or necklace emergency buttons
that would allow your mom to call for help if she were to fall or need assistance. Many systems
today also provide voice activated and fall detection features, and caregiver tracking apps that
will let you keep tabs on her.
Cameras and smart sensors: If your mom needs more in-depth monitoring, there are indoor
cameras you can install so you can see, hear and talk to her from your phone. Or, if that’s too
intrusive, you can install smart contact sensors on her doors so you can know when she comes
and goes, or on her refrigerator door so you can know if she’s eating.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a
contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
