Smart Home Accommodations for Seniors

The day of smart home technology has arrived and around the country new houses are being built with advanced technology inside to make life easier for homeowners. For seniors who have been living in their homes for a while, the thought of upgrading your house with smart home technology may seem too expensive at first. However, there are smart home accommodations for seniors that are effective and budget-friendly.

What is a Smart Home?

Consider that a smart home is really about devices that are connected by the internet. This is called the Internet of Things (IoT) and it connects devices to sources like your smartphone, computer, or station so that you can control many different things from one source. This type of interconnectivity has been around since the 1970s, but only now has it become practical to employ in the home.

The advantages of having smart home accommodations for seniors is that it makes it far easier to operate the common devices in their residence. Plus, it can provide excellent savings which is perfect for those on a fixed budget.

How Smart Homes Help Seniors

The smart home accommodations for seniors begins with identifying the specific needs they have inside the residence.

• Limited Mobility
• Cognitive, Vision, Speech, or Hearing Difficulty
• Arthritis and Other Medical Issues
• Needing Assistance around the Home

The good news is that each of these issues can be addressed at least partially with smart home technology. While it may not address all the issues seniors have inside the home, it does take away at least some of the burden. Here are just some of the devices that can be installed in the home on a modest budget.

Voice Controls: This is perfect for seniors that have difficulty using their hands due to arthritis and the like. A voice control can turn on the oven, television, stereo, or any device that normally requires using the hands. Plus, voice control is now commonplace with TV remotes, so it is inexpensive technology.

Smart Doorbells: This is a doorbell that not only rings, but also provides a video screen to see who is on the other side. For security, this type of smart doorbell means that seniors can see who is present without exposing themselves to danger.

Color Notification Lights: For those with hearing issues, having color notification lights will help signal to the homeowner different things such as someone at the door, a family member entering the home, when the meal is prepared in the stove, when laundry is done, and so forth. The items that used to give off a sound now can be connected to a light.

Hubs: These are stations where the homeowner can give voice commands to get information. This is much like the voice commands used with some smartphones to access information from the internet at one source.

There are many other devices that can help those with cognitive issues or mobility problems that makes life easier inside the home. Plus, the smart home accommodations for seniors can be achieved all on a tight budget.

Contact PSC Community Services for more information. Please reach out to us directly at 718-389-7060 or info@psccs.org