(2022-04-01) Wirecutter The Best Smart Home Devices To Help Seniors Age In Place

Wirecutter: The Best Smart Home Devices to Help Seniors Age in Place. For this guide, I interviewed doctors and experts who specialize in smart-home technology for those aging in place.

This guide is for the family member, friend, or caregiver who is supporting an older adult’s decision to live independently

Kris Thompson, smart technology specialist and CAPS at the Oak Hill NEAT Center and manager of the organization’s mobile demonstration center, the Smart Home on Wheels. “I never know what each individual will be comfortable with or what they won’t.” (Note: Grant funding for the Smart Home on Wheels is provided by the Consumer Technology Association Foundation, AARP of Connecticut, AmRamp, and the State of Connecticut Tech Act Project

How we picked and tested

Security, privacy, and aging in place

Do you want a whole-house security system?

Smart smoke detectors

Smart emergency-contact systems

the most important Apple Watch features for this guide’s purposes are its built-in fall detection (Series 4 or later and Apple Watch SE models only) and a side button that can call emergency contacts. It can also share medical information (such as blood type and medications) and activity (including ECG stats) with emergency responders

One important note: To contact emergency services, the base-model Apple Watch must be paired with an iPhone that’s within Bluetooth range or connected to a known Wi-Fi network (with Wi-Fi calling enabled).

Low-cost voice control (smart speaker)

Alexa can’t call 911, but it can put loved ones in touch with family, friends, and caregivers via Alexa Calling and add-on Skills like Ask My Buddy and My SOS Family.

In December 2021, Amazon launched Alexa Together, a subscription service ($20 per month or $200 per year) that can help you remotely check in on loved ones. It includes an emergency-calling feature that connects to live professional monitoring when you say “Alexa, call for help.” It also includes fall detection, when integrated with third-party sensors

Smart displays and voice-communication devices

our blog post goes into more details on how to do smart-display video chats.

Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen): A simple video-chat system

Apple iPad (9th generation): An all-in-one control device

While not typically thought of as a smart display, the Apple iPad tablet is highly recommended by experts we talked to due to its easy-to-use touchscreen, portability, and large screen size, as well as the Siri voice-control system.

Smart contact sensors

caregivers dealing with loved ones who have dementia and in particular the risks of their wandering from home.

Water-leak sensors

Smart locks

Cameras and monitoring

Wyze Cam v3: A compact low-cost indoor/outdoor camera

Other useful accessories

Smart plugs

Stove monitoring

Smart lighting

About pill dispensers