Remember the “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” commercial? The chance of falling and other risks have been forcing aging homeowners out of their homes and into assisted living facilities. But, now, new technology solutions are aimed at keeping them in their cherished, comfortable homes longer.
Connected LLC president and CEO Jay Prince and chief technology officer Troy Cuvelier shared ideas on how to appeal to this growing demographic of home buyers during the International Builders’ Show in January. By outlining the demand, they showed that from 2010 to 2020, there will be 50 million people age 65 and older. From a health care standpoint, there are not enough people to manage that huge influx.
Not only will technology help homeowners, but it also will help health care providers. In their session, Prince and Cuvelier discussed ways that the health care providers will benefit from technology, in addition to how those homeowners who don’t want to be seen as old or forced to move out of their homes are getting exactly what they need.
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Prince and Cuvelier advise against selecting a single provider—they see benefits from using multiple manufacturers that are experts in their specific facet of a smart home. Then, the builder is responsible for coordinating them and creating a single system that is easy to use and beneficial from a health perspective.
Cuvelier says that control systems should be out of sight, but top of mind to cater to every need. He pointed out some of the technology trends, including on-demand weather updates, instant access to a caregiver and vice versa, opening a garage door as it is approached, mail delivery notifications, rooms with occupancy sensors that turn things on and off, and tracked activity patterns to know if there are health concerns.
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Smart home technologies will facilitate aging in place.
There also are other technologies that help with medication and diet tracking. Prince notes that seniors want to be in control of their health care—they want to have access to the information and be able to understand it. There are dozens of apps that monitor this vital data that not only allow seniors to have it at their fingertips, but to also share with family members and caregivers.
Prince and Cuvelier outlined four features for home automation and smart health care during their session. The technology should be:
• simple and easy to use,
• beautifully integrated into the home’s décor,
• based on preset parameters or customized settings, and
• personalized to each individual’s needs and preferences.
With all of this technology, are there any concerns? The duo points out that it’s important not to lose human interaction. They warned that technology should help further the discussion with seniors, not isolate them. We looked at these eight technologies that help bring community to aging in place.
