The percentage of Americans who are 65 years of age or older continues to climb, yet fewer seniors these days seem ready to move into retirement communities. Today, the majority of older Americans prefer to remain independent and stay in their homes. Including some of the newest technology as part of your home renovation plan can help make aging in place even safer.

Tech Guide to Help Keep Seniors Safe at Home

An aging loved one may not want to move out of their home or hire a live-in care assistant, but you can help keep them safer with the newest at-home technology for independent seniors.

Activity Sensors. Mobility can become a large concern for many people as they get older. Friends and family often fear that their loved one will fall down and not have the ability to get up again. Activity sensors can offer peace of mind, especially for family members who may not live close by.

You can place these relatively inexpensive devices throughout the home to help keep track of a person’s daily activities. Activity sensors can monitor movement throughout the home including the length of time they are in bed and how often they leave home. Loved ones can set phone alerts to inform them if something unusual happens.

Voice Activated Assistants. While devices like Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home may be fun and save time for most people, for someone aging in place, it may save a life.

Voice Activated Assistants make it easy for seniors to set reminders for pills, keep track of medical appointments and even pay their bills with just their voice. But when these devices are paired with other smart appliances, the possibilities become almost limitless. Seniors will be able to turn on and off lights, control the thermostat and even lock and unlock their doors without getting out of their chair.

Some of these devices give seniors and their loved ones the additional security of knowing they can make and receive hands-free voice and video calls using a built-in webcam and video screen.

Voice Activated Assistants make it easy for seniors to set reminders for pills, keep track of medical appointments and even pay their bills with just their voice. But when these devices are paired with other smart appliances, the possibilities become almost limitless. Seniors will be able to turn on and off lights, control the thermostat and even lock and unlock their doors without getting out of their chair.

Other Technology Available

Those are only two of the newest high-tech devices for seniors living at home. Others include:

  • A Ring Video Doorbell improves the safety of seniors by providing a way to see and talk to anyone at the front door without opening it by using a smartphone or tablet.
  • A Wemo Light Switch makes it easy to turn on and off lights using a phone app.
  • Wifi Thermostats allow a loved one to adjust a senior’s thermostat remotely to guarantee a senior’s home is never too cold or warm.
  • Pill Reminders ensure seniors are taking the medicine they need when they need it. There are many options available which offer simple beeps when it is time to take medicine to phone calls and text messages.
  • A Stove Guard CookStop can prevent a kitchen fire by automatically turning off the stove after an adjustable amount of time. This device works with most brands of stoves.

Is it time to remodel your home for an aging loved one? At Quality Craftsmen, we have been helping families with their remodeling dreams throughout the East Cobb area since 2012. Call us at 404-483-7446 today to schedule a consultation.