Smart technology is everywhere. Just spend a few minutes browsing through any home appliance brochure, and you’ll likely come across many smart technologies. But there’s one form of AI-enhanced tech that gets surprisingly little airplay: Smart technology for seniors.
We think that’s a pity because there are some amazing products out there to help senior people live safely at home. Here’s our line-up of some of the best smart gadgets for seniors.
LifePod “Proactive-Voice Virtual Caregiver”
One of the biggest challenges many seniors face is living alone. Without a caregiver around to keep a watchful eye, the risks of social isolation or accidents increase sharply. LifePod helps address that by creating a two-way voice service between senior and caregiver.
The technology resembles a smart speaker like Alexa or Google Home but with a few crucial differences. Control of the speaker rests with the caregiver, taking the technological stress away from the senior. Furthermore, LifePod can be used to schedule several proactive check-ins throughout the day for medicine reminders, routine prompts, and to maintain a healthy level of companionship.
Walabot Home
$150 +$5/mo (first six months are free)
Falls are one of the leading causes of fatal injury among older adults. According to the National Council on Aging and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four Americans over the age of 65 will fall each year. Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. The Walabot Home is an AI-equipped device designed to detect when a senior falls and get medical help if required. Walabot built this device to be simple. Place it on a wall in a high-risk environment (like a bathroom). The Walabot Home will then detect a fall and notify a trusted contact if the senior appears to be motionless or incapacitated.
Hero Medication Dispenser
$100 + $30 per month
According to research cited in Medscape, around 60 percent of seniors don’t take their prescription medications according to their doctor’s treatment advice. Medication management is one of the leading reasons seniors move to assisted living centers. The Hero medication dispenser is an ingenious way to help an older person with memory difficulties keep their medications on track. Effectively, it’s a medication dispenser. A caregiver can load the device with required medications, and the Hero will dispense the tablets, either via an app or automatically according to a pre-defined schedule. A handy display screen also provides simple instructions on when the Hero will administer the next dose. Best of all, a caregiver will be alerted if their loved one forgets to pick up their meds.
Nest Protect Fire/CO Detector
$119 per detector
While the Roost is impressive as a simple smoke alarm alert system, if you want a total smoke and carbon monoxide/dioxide detector, the Nest Protect is a great product to explore. The Nest Protect integrates a few smart features you won’t find in a regular smoke alarm. First (and perhaps most importantly in small homes), this alarm won’t trigger if it detects steam. If you want to keep false alarms to a minimum, the Nest Protect adds unique value. It also doubles up as a night light, tests its battery levels continuously, and will react differently if it detects a little smoke (say, from burned toast) or lots of smoke. All these added features combined can contribute significantly to peace of mind, both for seniors and their care providers.
One of the more exciting benefits of smart technology lies in its potential to help seniors age in place, delaying the need for assisted living solutions. Whether you’re old or young, for many of us, our home is our haven. These smart technology devices are great for keeping that haven a safe and happy place to inhabit.
