Safety and security tools (p1):
Research, explorations, discussions, and products and resources relating to Safety and security tools: from Tech-enhanced Life.
Tools to enhance safety such as PERS systems. Or to enhance security such as home alarms or home activity monitoring.
For Older Adults, their Families, and Caregivers
— and for Companies Creating Innovations Related to Aging.
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Analysis & Exploration | Explorer Discussions | Resources and Products shared by our Explorers.
Featured Guides & Reports: Safety and security tools
Medical Alert Systems: Help!
We kept getting asked "which medical alert system is best?"; and "how do I choose the right medical alert system for me?". This independent, objective, hands-on research tries to answer those questions. If you are looking for a medical alert system, either for yourself or for an older adult such as a parent, this piece of research is for you.
Caring from Afar: Guide to Home Sensor Systems
Read our report on this new category of products, designed to help seniors stay at home longer, and to help their families worry about them less. There are important lessons to be learned about which ones work, and for which types of circumstance they are optimal.
Technology & the Future of Aging
This is a live recording (slides and audio) of a talk given by Richard Caro entitled "The Future of Aging, & the Intersection of Aging & Technology". This talk was given in March 2019, at the Commonwealth Club, San Francisco.
Medical Alerts: Just Tell Me What To Buy!
"I don't want to become an expert on medical alerts. Just tell me what to buy." is something we often hear. We've found the answer depends enormously on the specific lifestyle of the person enquiring.
Most people fit within one of a handful of broad "personas". Choose which persona best matches your lifestyle, then see which medical alert devices we recommend for that persona.
Smartwatch as Medical Alert?
For years we have been hearing older adults complain about how ugly and stigmatizing medical alerts are. As one lady told us: "My medical alert button makes me look like I escaped from the Intensive Care Unit. So I hardly ever wear it".
A handful of medical alert watches have come to market that look like smart watches, and have some or all of the functionality of stylish smartwatches, but also work as medical alerts. We wanted to see how well they worked, and set out to test them — hoping they might change this dynamic. Here are the results, updated for 2021.
Best Medical Alert App: Bake-off
We set out to find the best medical alert app for our Longevity Explorers who wanted to use their smartphone as a medical alert system. We focused on monitored medical alerts, found only three that looked promising enough to test, and did extensive, hands-on, comparison testing. One App emerged as far superior to the others.
Mobile Alert Systems: Comparison Testing
We did hands-on, comparative evaluations of mobile alerts: a specific sub-category of medical alert systems. We looked at appearance, ease of use, speed to respond when we pressed the "help" button, how well the "location capability" worked in various different locations, battery life, sound quality, price, and more. While none of the products was "perfect", several worked rather well. But some fell short.
Dealing with a Wandering Loved One with Alzheimer’s
Before my wife passed away from Alzheimer’s, she went through a period of wandering outside the home that I could control with a few simple devices. I want to share what I did, and the solutions I used, in the hope they will be useful for others in the same situation I was in.
Smart Home Share & Learn: SF Explorers
When asked which smart home devices they have, San Francisco Explorers answer with more than a few of their personal favorites. .........Read more
I Want to Do My Own Driving Evaluation
Explorer Ron frames the question: "How does one decide whether or not to continue driving?" Should it be one's self, or someone else? .........Read more
Explorer Recommends Lock Box to Save Your Door
Explorer Geri shares the idea that people who have some type of emergency alert should have a lock box with a house entry door key, so first responders can gain entry in an emergency without kicking in the door. .........Read more
Forget to Turn the Stove Off
Once or twice a month I leave the stove on after fixing breakfast. Most of the time I realize that I have left the stove on but it may be an hour or two after breakfast. I worry about what might happen as a result of this forgetfulness. .........Read more
SF Discussion Includes Tech Gadgets and Travel
Technology Gadgets and Travel are the topics of discussion this month by the San Francisco Explorers. .........Read more
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... .........Read more
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Ome Smart Knobs
Ome Smart Knobs are intended to replace standard kitchen stove control knobs and to sync with their smartphone app, allowing the user to monitor active burners and turn them off if left on accidentally.
BurnerAlert
BurnerAlert is a safety device that is attached under the control knobs of many gas or electric stoves and is designed to prevent leaving the stove on for longer than intended by emitting alerts.
FireAvert - Stove Automatic Shut-Off
FireAvert is a device intended to protect the user from dangerous stove fires by turning off power (or gas) to the sstove when it hears a smoke alarm.
Toch Sleepsense, bed sensor
Toch Sleepsense is a non-wearable sleep tracker designed to allow caregivers to monitor the safety of their loved ones while asleep. It also lets you monitor your own sleep.
iGPS Phoenix Watch
The iGPS Phoenix Watch is intended to be worn by older adults or children and - when paired with the app - to keep track of their movements, signal departure from a designated location, and provide cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connections where available.
WellBe Medical Alert Plus
WellBe Medical Alert PLUS combines a medical alert smart watch, and (optionally) a virtual healthcare assistant, which comes in a smart speaker.
AngelSense
AngelSense is a wearable GPS tracker with two-way speakerphone and emergency call button capabilities designed to monitor the location of the wearer for safety.
HomeEXCEPT
HomeExcept is a Canadian company producing non-intrusive monitoring solutions intended to measure mobility, medication, assists, and toileting without the use of cameras or microphones.
Dementia Tracker GPS Watch by TechSilver
The TechSilver Dementia Tracker GPS watch is intended to provide cell phone features indoors and outdoors and an adjustable GPS 'safe zone' wander alert. .
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