An eye-opening revelation: Close to 15 million seniors live alone in India, according to a census by Tribeca Care. This fact underscores the reality of ageing in place and hits closer to home than we’d imagined — but living on one’s own after you hit the “older adults” bracket comes with its unique challenges.
Fortunately, technology offers some respite if embraced.
Internet-fuelled devices, such as security cameras, lightbulbs, voice assistants, and vacuums, among others, create a protective haven in and around our homes, potentially solving every rising concern around ageing alone. Moreover, if equipped with the appropriate tech arsenal, seniors can go from ageing to smart ageing and take charge of their lives more comfortably.
Bipin Joshi, a 79-year-old living in Ahmedabad, says, “While operating these handy smart gadgets takes some getting used to, they’re definitely worth it in the long run.” You’ll often find him watching YouTube videos on his smart TV, asking Alexa to save an important date, or switching the passageway lights on through his mobile app every morning at 4 am (as soon as he wakes up).
We’ve rounded up a list of tech gadgets to support seniors’ aging-in-place journey. These gadgets allow seniors to live more independently and create a safe space within their homes where they feel at ease. Let’s jump right in.
Smart Lock
Picture this: you’re facing a medical emergency and need your doctor to visit urgently, but you’re in no condition to open the door. What do you do? Well, if you’ve installed a smart lock, you’re in luck. With a simple tap on your lock’s smartphone app, you can create a time-sensitive access code and share it with your doctor so they can enter your home without you lifting a finger.
We’ve all been there—forgetting our keys and relying on our neighbours for the spare key we left with them. Or, even worse, having to call a locksmith to make a new key from scratch. Smart locks remove the hassle of locking and unlocking, putting your home access in the palm of your hand with an intuitive smartphone app.
Beyond convenience, smart locks also offer a layer of safety. Caregivers or family members can set up alerts on their app to know when your door locks or unlocks. This feature acts as a sensor, informing them about who is entering and leaving your home. If the door remains locked for an unusually long time, it could be a sign that something’s not right, and this early warning system can help prevent untoward incidents.
Smart Security Cameras
Like most smart devices, smart security cameras require you to download a phone application so you can view the live feed whenever the camera detects motion outside your home. This added layer of security lets you keep an eye on your home while you’re away. Additionally, setting up a camera indoors enables family members to view the live feed (with your permission) and monitor for falls and other medical emergencies.
More advanced security cameras include an emergency contact feature that contacts your loved ones in case of emergencies. They even incorporate video analytics to customise geofencing boundaries that function as tripwires. So, if a trespasser happens to cross that boundary, it sets off a blaring alarm, alerting you, your neighbours, and caretakers. Moreover, smart security cameras play a significant role in assisting law enforcement by identifying potential suspects from stored/saved videos.
You don’t have to blindly believe us when we say this tech gadget is an optimal protection tool. A 2020 report by Grandview Research, reveals the global smart home security camera market will increase 18.7% by 2030.
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs sit between a device’s plug and an electrical outlet, giving you remote access to your devices, such as a toaster, coffee maker, or bedroom light.
Imagine entering the kitchen to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Setting up your coffee maker the night before — ensure the smart plug is connected — and switching the machine on through its companion app when you wake up the next day lets you carry on with your morning routine while your steaming cup of coffee is being prepared.
By the same logic, you never have to worry about accidentally leaving appliances on when heading for your evening walk. As you’re walking, switch the devices off through the phone application.
Some smart plugs have a feature to measure onboard energy usage. They identify which gadgets are the biggest energy guzzlers, so you can tweak your usage accordingly to cut costs in the long run.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting operates on the same principle as smart plugs, allowing you to schedule and adjust lighting levels from anywhere.
With multiple smart home lights, you can also set the scene. For example, if you prefer your living room bathed in a soft golden glow and your dining table lights switched off during your evening TV time, you can save this lighting configuration as “Watching TV” in the mobile app. The next time you settle in for your evening show, tap this lighting mode, and your lights will adjust accordingly.
Even more interesting is that you can create a simulation at home to turn your lights on and off with a smart schedule when you’re out of town. This simulation will deter intruders by giving them the impression that your home is occupied.
Integrating your doorbell camera with your smart light is another clever technique. Whenever the camera detects someone approaching your door, the light automatically turns on, giving you a clear view of the camera feed from your smart doorbell (and potentially shooing away burglars).
Digital Voice Assistant
Contrary to common belief, voice assistants are more than just entertainment or weather announcers. They’re evolving into essential household tools, integrating with smart home devices, serving as security measures, and even assisting with financial inquiries.
Voice assistants are commonly housed in smart devices that connect to your home Wi-Fi. Basic devices include smartphones, tablets, and watches, while more advanced and sophisticated voice assistants are integrated into smart speakers.
Once your voice assistant is set up, activate it using its wake-up word followed by a command. For instance, say, “Hey Siri, turn the air conditioner on” or “Hey Alexa, switch the porch lights on”. Having someone remind you to take your pills can be a genuine blessing. Give it instructions like, “Alexa, remind me to take my Omega-3 medicine daily at 8:00 pm.
According to Statista smart speaker market share, Amazon Echo dominates the global market with a 65% share, followed by Google Home at 26% and Apple HomePod at 19%. In India, Amazon Echo holds a significant majority with 61% of the market share, followed by Google Home at 28% and Apple HomePod at 14%.
Robotic Vacuums
Aging makes us more susceptible to dust and allergens, which, when left unchecked, can cause respiratory disturbances and infections. Robotic vacuums employ mapping technology to create a blueprint of your home, and their high-efficiency brushes, suction, and filters capture minute particles even from hard-to-reach spots.
Seniors barely need to intervene since the vacuums have a self-emptying feature and automatically move toward their charging dock when running out of juice. Given their lightweight construction, they’re also beneficial for those with mobility issues, and their quiet operation lets you go about other activities with peace of mind.
Medical Alert Systems
A medical alert system comprises three parts: a help button usually worn on the wrist or around the neck, a two-way communication system placed at home, and an emergency response centre.
Pressing the button on the device activates the system and sends an alert to the two-way speaker base unit. The unit then connects you to a trained emergency response operator who, depending on the emergency, dispatches emergency services or informs your emergency contact. The advantage of a medical alert system over a mobile phone is that it is always on your body and can summon emergency help with a simple press of a button.
Modern medical alert systems are equipped with advanced features, like step tracking, fall detection, health vitals monitoring, and voice recognition, albeit at steeper prices. Most systems also integrate with an online app, enabling caregivers to monitor multiple user profiles, track their location, contact customer service, and more. Furthermore, when you update your account information in the app, the changes will be registered with customer service.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors provide an early warning of a fire or carbon monoxide leakage, giving seniors ample time to escape. Smoke detector manufacturers also make special 85-decibel alarms for seniors with hearing issues and incorporate strobe lights in case of limited visibility.
Smoke and carbon dioxide detectors must be placed in and outside every bedroom on all levels, and the batteries must be replaced every six months.
Wireless TV Headphones
Wireless TV headphones enable seniors to move around the house while watching a TV show and stay connected to the program. With the ability to adjust the volume on the headset without affecting the overall TV volume, you can join in on family night gatherings and enjoy your personalised hearing environment to the fullest.
Multiple studies confirm that the hearing range decreases after 40, making it challenging to hear dialogues against background noise. TV headphones are a godsend for seniors experiencing hearing loss as they ensure unmatched speech clarity with multiple built-in speech clarity modes that selectively reinforce lost frequencies.
This gadget connects to your TV via a transmitter, which also serves as a charging dock. Most TV headphones give you anywhere between 8 and 30 hours of playtime before requiring a charge boost. Thankfully, there’s no complicated tech troubleshooting, Bluetooth pairing, or passwords required. Also, look for models with low-latency 2.4 GHz frequency that eliminates lip-sync delays to outperform their Bluetooth counterparts.
