How IoT and Smart Home Tech is Helping Take Care of Aging Parents
Smart Home technology is helping to transform lives. With IoT capabilities, it is possible to provide comfort and convenience. You have peace of mind knowing that your aging parents have access to different functionalities.
You can monitor the home and send help when the need arises. It allows for better security. You can also control household appliances remotely.
We would all like to have full-time help for aging parents. The reality is the cost implications may be too high for many people. It is also not possible to take on full-time care due to the demands of life.
Smart home solutions give elders independence.
What is IoT?
Take a minute to read actual news and see the potential technology has to offer. IoT is one such innovation.
Internet of Things (IoT) utilizes Wi-Fi connectivity to send and receive data. You get control of different devices such as smart thermostats and surveillance devices.
Your aging parents forgot to switch off the security lights? Simply use IoT to turn them off remotely. Voice assistants also depend on IoT to receive and act on your commands. A smart home Insteon allows you to control many items from your smart device.
Take care of things like adjusting the thermostat, motion sensor, the door opening, and checking for water leaks. No matter your current location, you maintain the same level of control as you would, if you were at home.
How IoT-Assisted Devices Help The Elderly?
The first step is investing in smart homes technology that learns human behavior. It then uses such information to recommend or make some suggestions. You get timely alerts in case of any issues. If there is a change in the regular patterns based on behavior, the technology will pick it up and give a timely report.
If, for example, your parents typically wake up at a specific time of the day, and now they do not, the system will send you an alert.
What Are The Main Benefits Of Smart Homes For Seniors?
There are many benefits seniors can get from smart homes solutions. Let’s look at some of them below.
● Better Security
Older people living alone can become the target for burglars. Smart Home systems that ensure higher security are excellent investments. Smart doorbell, Smart Lock, monitoring, and surveillance are just some of them. They may also collect footage that can lead to the apprehension of burglars.
● Remote Access
Remote access provides convenience and comfort. Your aging parents do not need to get up to switch on the security lights. They can activate the security system wherever they are.
Switching off or controlling appliances will no longer be a chore. You even get alerts when you need to shop for your parents. Smart fridges let you know when to buy specific items when they start to run low. Alternatively, program them to alert the local grocery when it’s time for deliveries.
● Medical Monitoring
The inevitability of aging is that it will come with some health implications. Some people will require 24-hour monitoring wherever they are. It can be very draining not to know how your elderly parents are doing if you are not near them.
Medical monitoring is easy with some of the smart homes’ technologies. Medical bracelets, for example, have prevented a lot of fatalities. Emergency teams get an alert any time something goes wrong. Some of the smart home devices will even send out reminders for medication. You can easily schedule doctor appointments so that your parents never miss it.
● Assistance with Daily Tasks
Smart home technology should make it easier for the elderly to have some independence. Robots, smart vacuums, and lawnmowers can help take care of manual tasks.
There is some fantastic smart technology for the future to look forward to. Self-driving cars, for example, make it possible for the elderly to achieve higher mobility. You will no longer need to leave the office to drive them to doctor’s appointments. They can also make their plans without feeling like they are inconveniencing you in any way.
Conclusion
The combination of smart home automation and IoT is a game-changer. The fact that you can take care of the elderly without being around them is convenient. You have peace of mind knowing that those you love are safe.
Remote access and control of devices mean you can still take care of your parents wherever you are. With the ever-evolving nature of technological innovations, there is so much more to look forward to.
Do you have any experience using smart home technologies to take care of the elderly? We would love to hear from you.
This guest post was authered by Emily Moore
Emily is an English & programming teacher with a passion for space and blogging. She believes that current exploration should be focused on preserving our planet’s resources. With satellites circling the orbit, it is easier to get relevant data on any environmental changes. This, in turn, should help people quickly address any challenges.
