Are you on the fence about making your home a smart one? I was too, until I started small with some smart plugs that made controlling my indoor and outdoor Christmas lights through voice commands a breeze. No more braving frigid temps late at night to pull a plug! Soon after, I was on the smart home bandwagon, complete with an Echo Show and smart light bulbs, all while prioritizing safety and security precautions.
But it wasn’t until last year that I realized how smart homes could be a game changer for seniors, especially those with vision loss. My wife and I care for my aunt, who has macular degeneration, and we’ve seen firsthand her struggles with reading mail and menus. That’s when we set her up with smart devices and empowered her to use them. Watching her overcome the learning curve made us even more driven to explore new ways technology can help seniors live independently for longer.
We recently swapped caregiving stories with friends, and when Jill heard about the smart devices we installed for my aunt, she was hooked. Her mother lives independently, but she wanted to make her home more user-friendly and help her remotely. So, we put together a list of recommended devices and tips, which you’ll find in this blog. Join us on this smart home journey and see how it can improve your quality of life and that of your loved ones!
Are you curious about what a Smart Home actually is? Don’t worry, we were once in the same boat! In the past, we assumed that having a Smart Home would cost a fortune and require complicated rewiring. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Setting up a Smart Home is actually super easy and the devices are surprisingly affordable!
With a central hub or an app on your smartphone or tablet, you can control everything from your coffee maker to your security system. And if you’re feeling extra fancy, you can even use a voice assistant to control everything with ease. Say goodbye to fumbling with complicated remotes and hello to a simpler, more streamlined life!
When it comes to choosing which smart devices to purchase, consider who will be helping you the most and what voice assistant they are using. For example, if you have Amazon Echo speakers at home and your caregiver also uses Amazon Echo, it may be best to stick with that same voice assistant.
So, are you ready to take your home to the next level? We’ve got you covered with a list of our favorite Smart Home devices for seniors and their caregivers. Whether you’re a Smart Home newbie or a seasoned pro, we’ve got everything you need to get started!
Image 1: List of Recommended Smart Devices and Their Uses
Note: While starting with a smart thermostat is optional, it is highly recommended for individuals with low vision as it can significantly improve their standard of living right away.
Recommended Smart Devices to Start Out With
If you’re looking to control your smart home with just your voice, then you’re going to need a voice assistant. But with so many options out there, which one should you choose? Here are the top three on the market today:
- Amazon Alexa / Echo speakers
- Google Assistant / Nest Speakers
- Apple Siri / HomePod mini speaker
All three have some awesome features in common, such as letting you control your devices with your voice or app, playing music, giving directions, answering questions, making calls, setting reminders, and even reading the latest news and blogs.
Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of these options, as they’re all easy to set up and use. Just make sure to pick the same one as the person who will be helping you out the most with your smart home.
What we use: Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen)
Are you ready to light up your life with the latest smart technology? Say goodbye to the old-fashioned light switch and hello to smart lights! With just a tap on your smartphone, you can control the ambiance of your home, schedule lighting to come on and off, and even change the color of your lights to match your mood.
Here are the top three smart light bulbs you should consider:
- Philips Hue – Soft White (A19, standard size bulb)
- Philips Hue – White and Color Ambiance (A19, standard size bulb)
- WYZE – Wyze Bulb Color (A19, standard size bulb)
But that’s not all. With smart lights, you can control your lighting with your voice, too! These top three options are all compatible with the three major voice assistants, so you can use your Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Siri to control your lights with ease. And with dimming capabilities, you can easily set the mood for any occasion.
Don’t forget to download the corresponding app and create an account with the manufacturer before connecting your smart light bulbs to your voice assistant. Get ready to step into the future with these top-rated smart lights!
Don’t have a smart device? That’s okay because with a smart plug you can turn almost anything into a smart device just by plugging it into a smart plug.
From lamps and fans, to coffee makers and air fresheners, your appliances can be smart too. 🙂
Control your electronics with just a button or your voice!
When you plug your devices into a smart power strip, you get multiple outlets for all your smart devices like lamps, fans, TVs and more. And that’s not all! A smart power strip also makes sure that your electronics stay safe by protecting them from energy surges.
But the best part is that you can control everything that is plugged into the smart power strip with an app your voice!
This means you don’t have to get up to turn things on and off anymore – you can do it all from your couch or bed. You just need to use a special app or voice command system that works with the smart power strip.
As far as I’m concerned this is a must-have for seniors with low vision. For example, my Aunt Trudy, who has macular degenerative disease was trying to operate her outdated thermostat by turning the heat up to 73 degrees only to find out she actually turned it up to a sweltering 85 degrees. After this happened a couple of times I knew she needed a smart thermostat so she would not keep turning her apartment into a Turkish bath house.
When looking for the best smart thermostat for her, we knew it would have displays that checked off the following boxes: inexpensive, great consumer reviews, easy-to-see display, easy to operate, and most importantly, voice-controlled. It did not take long to narrow the search down to the Amazon Smart Thermostat, which we purchased and had installed for my Aunt. She absolutely loves the control she now has over her new thermostat!
