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The Desire to Age in Place
A whopping three-quarters of our 50-and-up population yearn to age gracefully within their own homes’ comforting familiarity, illuminates AARP’s 2021 Home and Community Preferences Survey. As time relentlessly marches on, the latest trove of smart home technologies gifts these elders the ability to fulfill this wish, subtly infusing their everyday surroundings with digital aid. From cybernetic door locks and sentient lighting to comprehensive home automation hubs, the ‘smarts’ facilitate safe, comfortable home living, even amidst mobility adversities and health tribulations.
Here are some typical question about ageing in place and smart homes.
1. Question: Could you elucidate on the concept of a ‘smart home’?
Answer: A ‘smart home’, a term entailing much more than it may first seem, refers to a living environment equipped with an array of devices and appliances, ‘smart’ in nature, with the capability to be controlled from a distance due to their internet connectivity. The spectrum of such devices is wide and varied, inclusive but not restricted to smart light bulbs, intricately programmed security systems, thermostats responsive to remote adjustments, and even televisions capable of interacting with the internet.
2. Question: How does smart home technology serve as an aid to the population segment approaching their golden years?
Answer: The emergence of smart home technology has become a beacon of comfort, safety, and convenience for the aging demographic. From catering to mobility challenges to monitoring health conditions and offering seamless control over home aspects such as lighting, temperature, and security, these innovative technological solutions usher in a new age of enhanced living for older adults.
3. Question: Could you offer a brief catalog of the types of smart home technology available?
Answer: The landscape of smart home technology is as diverse as it is innovative. With options ranging from Wi-Fi or wired connections enabling the operation of smart appliances, to applications on smartphones providing access from virtually anywhere. Other features include voice-activated controls, smart displays armed with touchscreens or voice command capabilities, and Bluetooth-enabled devices offering a user-friendly interface for controls and adjustments.
4. Question: Are there potential pitfalls we should be mindful of when it comes to smart home devices?
Answer: As intriguing as the world of smart home devices is, it’s not devoid of certain drawbacks. A pivotal concern is the potential risk to personal privacy and susceptibility to hacking attempts, attributed to the internet connectivity of these devices. However, fear not, for these challenges can be subdued through a series of measures – changing default usernames and passwords, enabling encryption, and religiously updating hardware and software, to name a few.
5. Question: How do smart home technologies facilitate the process of ‘aging in place’?
Answer: Smart home technologies, a cornerstone of modern living, are instrumental in enabling the process of aging in place. From enhancing security through smart lighting systems that can be voice-controlled or managed through a smartphone app, to smart stoves and ovens that have auto-off features to avert potential fire hazards. Protective measures are further extended by security systems like video doorbells and smart locks. Health-centric devices like smart medication dispensers and emergency alert systems offer effective health management solutions, collectively working towards transforming home environments for the elderly into safer, more comfortable living spaces.
Understanding the Smart Home Concept
Ever pondered, “What, in the name of Tesla, is a smart home?” At its core, it’s a dwelling kitted out with a network of appliances and gadgets blessed with artificial intelligence. Whether it’s a savvy thermostat controlling the temperature or an intelligent television streaming your favorite flicks, you’ve already dipped your toes in this futuristic reality, if you own such devices.
Harnessing the Power of Connectivity
Harnessing your residence’s Wi-Fi, these devices form a sprawling interconnected network. Like a symphony, conducted by a central hub such as Amazon Echo, Google Nest, or Aeotec Smart Home Hub. From afar, your smartphone can summon their actions; alternatively, vocal instructions using Alexa or another digital assistant can command them.
A Tour of Smart Home Technologies
Now, let’s tumble down the rabbit hole of smart home tech and tools. Dr. Alexis Abramson, the renowned gerontologist, cybersecurity fraud prevention expert, and spokesperson for Comfort Keepers, shares her wisdom. “The twilight of life brings its own challenges – mobility decline, increased falling hazards, vision reduction,” she shares. Through the lens of these smart devices, kin can provide remote guardianship, assuming you entrust them with passwords and other access details. “Smart technologies aren’t just toys; they’re enablers, allowing older adults to live bold, safer lives within their homes despite health challenges,” she adds.
The Essentials of Smart Home Tech
Let’s take a whirlwind tour of smart home technologies. Wi-Fi or wired connections birth smart device operability, mobile apps bestow remote command capabilities, and voice activation technology listens and acts on spoken instructions. Then we have smart displays with touchscreens or voice command functionality, and a Bluetooth connection mating smart devices to a smartphone app for control and adjustments.
The Importance of Smart Home Tech for Aging in Place
Aging in place, you ask? Haisam Sourchi of Alavida Lifestyles reiterates, “Smart home tech is the sine qua non of the aging in place equation. An array of these tools can take the reins of almost every aspect of home maintenance, allowing seniors to preserve independence and comfort in their homes, a feat near impossible sans these smart devices.”
Smart Home Upgrades – A Smorgasbord of Options
So, what’s on the smart home upgrade menu? To kickstart, consider a smart hub. This orchestrator links up various smart devices, affording you command over them via a central terminal like Amazon Echo, Google Nest, or Samsung SmartThings. Use it to dictate lighting, lock doors, manage your smart TV, and so much more. Some of these hubs listen to your commands via Amazon Alexa or another voice assistant, offer touchscreens, and provide smartphone apps for remote access.
Exploring Different Smart Devices
Smart lighting illuminates homes at your command, either via voice, sensors, or through a hub. Then there are smart stoves and ovens that auto shut-off to prevent fires. To add security to your premises, invest in smart doorbells and locks, operated remotely or via voice commands. Security cameras help you monitor your home, especially handy if you’re away, and emergency alert systems can be life-savers, literally. Smart medication dispensers ensure proper dosage and timing of medications. Lastly, smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can sense environmental hazards and notify you promptly.
Privacy Concerns and Mitigation
As much as they’re magical, these smart devices aren’t without drawbacks – notably, privacy concerns and potential hacking risks due to internet, smartphone, and tablet connectivity. But with judicious precautions, you can considerably mitigate these risks.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Home Living
Smart home upgrades may seem like leaps into the unknown, particularly for those in remote areas with limited high-speed internet. But the scales often tip in favor of the benefits, especially for those choosing to age in place. “These tools aren’t just fancy gizmos; they’re potent enablers allowing our seniors to live, thrive, and find purpose, nestled within their homes’ warmth,” adds Dr. Abramson.
