6 Ways a Smart Home Can Make Caretaking for Relatives Easier
Smart home technology has revolutionized caretaking for elderly relatives. With a few smart upgrades, it's now possible to ensure that your loved one's environment is safe and comfortable, even when you are not there. Take a look at the top pieces of smart technology and their benefits for seniors and their caregivers.
1. Automated Lighting
One of the biggest benefits of a smart home is automated lighting. With automated lighting, lights can be programmed to turn on or off depending on the time of day and whether someone is in the room. This makes it easy to create a bright and safe environment for your elderly relative at any time. Automated lighting also helps save energy by making sure that lights are only turned on when necessary.
2. Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats allow you to control the temperature in your elderly relative's home from anywhere. With a smart thermostat, you can make sure that the temperature is comfortable for your loved one and ensure that energy isn't wasted by keeping temperatures too low or high when no one is home. Smart thermostats also allow you to monitor the indoor air quality of your relative's home, which can help provide a warning regarding VOCs, high CO2 levels, and more.
3. Smart Security Systems
Elderly individuals are often particularly vulnerable to thieves and vandals. Smart security systems are a great way to ensure the safety of your elderly relative. With a smart security system, you can monitor who is coming and going from their home as well as be notified if any suspicious activity is detected. Smart security systems also allow you to control locks remotely, which means that you can easily let caregivers or family members into the house without having to leave your own home.
4. Smart Appliances
Smart appliances can make it much easier to take care of elderly relatives. Smart refrigerators, for example, can help remind you when groceries are running low or alert you if the refrigerator temperature is too high. Smart washers and dryers make it easy to monitor laundry cycles so that your relative never has to worry about forgetting a load in the washer. Thanks to the convenience of such smart devices, you can also get more information about whether an elderly loved one might be struggling to take care of tasks around the house, which might provide you with forewarning if additional care is needed.
5. Smart Home Assistant
Smart home assistants like Amazon's Alexa can answer questions, read books aloud, and even provide reminders for medications or other tasks. Smart home assistants can also help encourage activity or remind senior loved ones of upcoming events.
6. Wearable Health Monitors
Wearable health monitors can track vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, and even sleep quality. This data can be monitored remotely so that you can keep an eye on your relative's health without having to be in their home all the time. Some wearable devices even offer additional features like sending out an alert if they detect a fall or sending out health alerts if they detect certain conditions. Wearable devices can go a long way toward improving peace of mind for many caregivers.
Make Sure Your Loved One Remains Comfortable and Secure
Smart technology can benefit senior loved ones because it makes taking care of them easier. However, there are often times when you may need more support than technology alone can provide. If you need an additional caretaker for your loved one in the Sterling Heights, Grosse Pointe, Clinton Township, Macomb County, or Roseville areas, Senior Helpers Grosse Pointe can help. Contact us today to learn more about our caregiving services.