Technology’s Role in Helping the Old to Cope at Home
11 May 2023
Worldwide, people are living longer and populations are ageing in most countries1. Yet many of the elderly want to live an active, independent life for as long as possible. A suitable home can help, supporting their high quality of life.
Increasingly commercially-available smart-home devices are enabling people to age in their homes, while providing their caregivers (family and professionals) peace of mind that help is near should anything happen.
Smart Home Hubs Support Aging in Place
Aging-in-place technology doesn’t have to be complex. For example, movement sensors in combination with smart lighting can illuminate dark hallways and entryways. Smart plugs with timers can ensure that heaters or fans are turned on and off at appropriate times of day. And smart doorbells provide a feeling of safety by knowing who is at the door.
Smart home hubs, such as the Amazon Echo, Google Nest, or Samsung SmartThings, can connect the sensors mentioned above, helping elderly users to use voice commands to turn the lights on or off, but they can also assist to make a phone call, set reminders (e.g. to take medication), or play music or video. According to the 2023 AARP Tech Trends and Adults 50+ report2, one in three 50+ adults in the US now owns a home assistant and 60% of them use it daily.
Most 50+ Owners of Home Assistants Use Them Daily2
Frequency of using home assistants among those 50+ adults who own one (2022)
Moreover, these hubs also cater to ageing people and caregivers with specific services. Amazon, for instance, created the remote caregiving subscription service Alexa Together3 that – in addition to common Alexa services, such as reminders and calls – lets caregivers see activity feeds (e.g. when someone gets up and starts to interact with Alexa). In the case of an injury or fall, the resident can ask Alexa to call for help.
Smart phones and watches increasingly include features to support ageing in place. Smart watches from Apple and Samsung, for example, include an emergency button and accident detection. They also warn people about abnormal heart rates. The iPhone, meanwhile, can detect an unsteady gait that might later lead to a fall and warn increasing risk4.
More Companies Enter the Aging-in-Place Market
Caregivers and healthcare providers are increasingly aware of, and more open to, the use of smart home technology. AARP found in its 2023 survey2 that more than half of caregivers are very interested in using tech that helps them to perform their tasks. Healthcare providers, meanwhile, are using trials to test available technology that can give caregivers more peace of mind.
More Than Half of Caregivers Are Very Interested in Using Technology to Help With Caregiving Needs2
Interest in using technology to help with caregiving needs among those currently providing unpaid adult care by age range (2022)
In Canada, for example, a trial recently took place for people with dementia. Researchers created a test environment using commercially available equipment to create a monitoring service focused on caregivers. The study found that caregiving participants reported lower levels of anxiety and depression5.
The Canadian project was such a success that several participants asked to keep the equipment and a separate company – Esprit.ai – took over the installation of smart home systems, using the study’s setup. Esprit.ai is one of several companies that cater to the aging-in-place sub-group of smart home services. Their deep understanding of the needs of elderly people and the capabilities of technology enables them to create specific smart home setups.
Such a setup could include a pressure sensor that sends an alert when someone gets out of bed, connecting it to movement sensors to light up hallways to minimize the risk of stumbling. When someone is safely back in bed, the sensor tells the system to switch off the lights again.
Overcoming Adoption Barriers
However, many older people have trouble using the latest technology. AARP2 found that many of them find using today’s technology challenging due to complex designs, underlining the importance of making technology easy to use. Thankfully, elderly homeowners often get help from younger people (aka their (grand) children) when choosing and setting up smart home technology.
Despite this adoption barrier, smart home technology has a lot of potential to help people age comfortably. Homeowners, caregivers and smart home companies are all exploring the space, resulting in more solutions and services coming to the market.
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