Problems – Tech-enhanced Life

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Want to Silence the Smoke Alarm After it Goes Off

Smoke alarms are a wonderful security device, and we never expect to hear them, except when smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) is detected.

However, everyone I have talked to has had at least one incident when they double toasted the toast or fried something that made too much smoke… and the smoke alarm went off!

Normally that’s a good thing to know it’s working, BUT when you have resolved the problem and it’s still blaring (85 dB) at you for minutes it’s very annoying.

Automating Door Locks for My Parent

Explorer Frank wanted to turn a manual door lock into an automatic doorlock that could be opened with a person-specific code, and or controlled remotely. His reason was to be able to "check" that doors were indeed locked when they were supposed to be.

Other explorers wanted an automatic door lock so that if they pressed their emergency alert button, the emergency services would be able to get in (via the special "code") without needing to have an external "lockbox" containing a key.

Connecting to Parent’s WiFi

I want to be sure that the device I have configured for my loved one’s Wi-Fi will connect when they receive it. I can’t go and set it up myself.

Legal and Financial Issues following Dementia Diagnosis

My husband has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and I need to make sure I have taken care of everything. I do have power of attorney but want to make sure everything has been taken care of. What should I be worrying about? Alice

Hearing aid batteries don’t last long

One participant in this discussion was explaining how frustrating it was to have to replace his hearing aid batteries every week. Not to mention expensive. Another participant had a different product that had rechargeable batteries that largely eliminated this concern. Cross pollination of ideas followed.

How do I remember all my passwords?

Today we all have lots of passwords for our online lives. This problem is widespread of course. These seniors discuss how annoying it is for them, and what solutions they use as workarounds.

Can’t Reach Toenails to Cut Them Anymore

Older people complain that at some point, for one reason or another, it is no longer possible to reach toenails for clipping. What is available – short of paying for the service – to make this mundane hygienic procedure ‘within reach’ again? At a Longevity Explorer discussion circle in September, 2014, a group of residents … Read more

Avoiding social isolation & keeping an active lifestyle

Discussion held at September 2014 Aging-in-Place-Technologies meetup, San Carlos, CA. Situation: parent not getting out, lonely in home.

iForget

Lately, I have noticed that my short term memory is worsening. It happens most often while at home. I may go from one room to another to fetch something, and by the time I get there, I’ve forgotten what it is I’m fetching (or even that I am fetching anything). This may happen at any … Read more