IN THIS ARTICLE
02/ Smart doorbells
03/ Smart locks
04/ Smart window and door sensors
05/ Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
06/ Smart plugs
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The number of people in the United States over 65 is expected to double in the coming years. In addition, 8 out of 10 older adults say they want to live in their own homes as they age (according to the AARP). When you consider these two statistics together, it’s not surprising that the number of products that support individuals aging in place has exploded.
Some of the most helpful of these products can be classified as “smart.” “Smart” products can help compensate for issues that often accompany aging, including: reduced mobility, vision, cognition and social connection. In fact there is a new concept called Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) that describes the phenomenon of smart devices allowing older people to remain in their homes longer than may otherwise be possible. Outfitting a home with smart devices can provide a sense of comfort, security and connection as people age in place.
Voice-activated Speakers
One of the most basic components of a “smart” home is a voice activated speaker. There are three primary voice activated speaker platforms: Amazon’s Echo, Apple’s Homepod and Google’s Nest; each of which has a persona (Alexa, Siri and Google, respectively) that you can direct your voice commands to.
The speaker platforms allow you to ask Alexa, Siri or Google for the latest news updates, to play music or podcasts, or to set regular appointment reminders. For example, “Siri (or Alexa or Google), set a daily reminder to take pills at 8am.” You can also ask your speaker to make phone calls.
Further illustrating how helpful voice-activated speakers can be in keeping people independent at home, Amazon has even launched a service recently, called Alexa Care Hub. The service offers a variety of free features geared toward helping older adults stay safe at home.
While the capability of the audio only smart speakers is remarkable, Amazon and Google also offer their speakers with a video display option (the Echo Show and the Nest Hub ), further increasing the functionality of the speaker systems.
The added benefits of a display screen along with a voice-activated speaker are numerous. The screen allows you to have video visits with friends, meet with your doctor virtually for telemedicine appointments or watch cooking demonstrations to learn new recipes, for example.
For people who are low-vision or blind, Amazon’s Echo Show even has an accessibility feature called Show and Tell. You can hold up a common pantry item to the Echo Show camera and ask Alexa to identify the product. She will tell you what you are holding and provide a brief description of the item.
Other Smart Home Products
In addition to the voice-activated speakers, there are other smart home products that can enhance the safety older adults experience at home; many of which are compatible with one or more speaker platforms. Some of the most popular of these smart products are described below.
Smart Doorbells
Smart doorbells are among the most ubiquitous smart home products.
Smart doorbells typically have cameras and speakers so you can hear and/or see who is at the door (from your phone or smart speaker) and speak to them from the comfort of another room. You don’t need to jump up every time the doorbell rings. This is especially helpful at night when your hallways are more likely to be dark and you may be more likely to be tired (both of which make a fall more likely).
A couple of highly rated smart doorbells that are compatible with at least one of the speaker platforms are Ring video doorbells and Arlo video doorbells.
Ring video doorbells allow you to see, hear and speak with whomever is at your door via your smartphone or tablet (from home or anywhere) or via your (Amazon) Alexa speaker system. It features motion detection, night vision, and notifies you when someone is at your door or is near your built-in motion sensors. There is also an optional subscription “Ring Protect Plan” that records all of your videos and keeps the videos for up to 60 days.
The Arlo Video Doorbell allows you to see your front door and features a 180 degree viewing angle so that you can see someone from head to toe. There is also two-way audio so that you can speak with someone or someone can speak with you. There is even the option to have a pre-recorded message play if someone rings your doorbell and you are busy. Arlo’s Video Doorbells are compatible with Amazon, Google and Apple’s platforms.
Smart Locks
In addition to smart doorbells, smart locks are also a popular and easy to install addition to your smart home. With a smart lock, you can lock and unlock your door from your bedroom (or from another state!). Perhaps you are already in bed and aren’t sure if you locked the front door; with a smart lock, you can lock the door with a simple voice command to your smart speaker (or on your phone). You can also program it so that your doors lock automatically at a certain time each evening.
One popular smart lock is the Wyze Lock.
The Wyze Lock is easy to set up and use and it is reasonably priced. You can add it to your current deadbolt and get the smart lock functionality–meaning you can remotely lock and unlock your door with a voice command (compatible with Amazon’s Alexa) or with an app on your smartphone or tablet. You can also program the lock so that you get an alert whenever the door is opened or closed or if the door has been left open beyond a certain length of time. You can even enable the Wyze lock to automatically unlock as you approach the door and lock behind you once you are inside.
Another highly rated smart lock is the August (4th generation) Smart Lock. This lock also attaches to your existing deadbolt and is easy to use, offering voice and remote access functionality. You can send secure “keys” to people you trust, granting instant access to your home. You can also cancel access to anyone at any time. This lock is compatible with all three main speaker platforms.
Smart Window and Door Sensors
Other products that can provide older adults with a sense of ease and security as they age in place are smart window and door sensors.
By adding small contact sensors to your windows and/or doors, you can be alerted if a door or window has been opened, closed or has remained open for too long.
The Eve Door & Window Wireless Contact sensors are compatible with the Apple Home platform. These sensors, when attached to a door or window, will show you the time a door or window was opened and for how long it remained open. You can also get an instant report of the current status of the windows and doors, allowing you to immediately confirm that all are closed without having to check each individual location.
Tessan is another highly-rated brand of smart door and window contact sensors. These sensors are compatible with Amazon and Google platforms. Once installed, you can simply give a voice command to check whether a particular window or door is open or closed. You can also program it so that each time a window or door is opened, a chime or alarm will go off.
Smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
Another very helpful smart home device is an all in one smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector. These detectors can provide voice alerts, informing you of what the specific danger is (carbon monoxide or smoke) and where it is in your home. These alarms can also send a mobile notification to pre-designated people, for any detected emergency. Most smart fire and carbon monoxide detectors are compatible with other hardwired alarms in your home and can be easily installed.
First Alert’s Onelink Safe & Sound Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector is a great example of what’s possible with smart smoke and carbon monoxide detection systems. The Onelink Safe & Sound provides voice alerts to inform you about the type and location of the danger in your home. Additionally, it sends remote notifications of an emergency in your home to anyone you previously designated. Plus, you can track carbon monoxide levels in your home at any time. The system also has a customizable built-in nightlight. While this system is compatible with Apple and Amazon platforms, it actually has a built-in Amazon Alexa speaker, allowing you to give the same verbal commands to Alexa that you would with a typical free-standing Alexa speaker (i.e. play music, provide information and even control other smart home devices).
Another highly rated smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector is the Google Nest Protect. The Nest Protect features a friendly voice to give you an early warning when there’s smoke or carbon monoxide in your home. It also boasts something called Split Spectrum Sensor where it can detect both fast burning and smoldering fires and tell you where the danger is. The carbon monoxide detector looks out for carbon monoxide and tells you where it’s located. The Nest Protect even provides a “Nightly Promise” when you turn off the lights so you know everything is working. Plus, if you walk under Nest Protect at night, a pathlight goes on to illuminate your way.
Smart plugs
Finally, an additional smart device that can have a big impact on safety and security in your home, but is fairly simple and inexpensive, is the smart plug. When you connect lights or fans or anything else to a smart plug, you are able to turn the connected device on and off with just your voice. You can also set a specific schedule for your plugged in devices.
For example, you can program the plugs so that your (connected) lights go on and off automatically at a specific time each day or you can give a voice command to turn off all the lights in your home once you are in bed. Imagine how helpful this simple technology can be with a device like a space heater. You can program the smart plug so that the space heater will go off each evening at a particular time without you having to remember to turn it off.
Some highly rated brands of smart plugs are Avatar Controls Smart Plugs and Kasa Smart Plugs for Amazon and Google speakers. For the Apple platform, there is the Wemo Mini Smart Plug.
Please note that while all of the “smart” products described can be considered Do-It-Yourself, in terms of set-up, you can also hire someone to set up the devices for you. Should you want support installing the products, you can hire a smart technology specialist (like those offered by Geek Squad) or you can hire a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) – NAHB . Either type of expert should be able to help you.
Hopefully, you now have a sense of how helpful smart technology can be in allowing older adults to remain living independently as long as possible. As remarkable as the smart technology products on the market are today, there is certainly more to come. With technology continuing to evolve and the number of older adults increasing and wanting to remain in their own homes, there is no telling the amazing innovations that are on the horizon. Stay tuned!
