Devices, Tools, Objects relating to better quality life as grow older.
I wanted a solution that not only “detected” when there was a water leak at my elderly parent’s house, but also could automatically shut off the water in certain situations before major damage occured. Here is my DIY solution, using sensors and a controllable valve.
We want to avoid water leaks altogether. Or, if that is not feasible, we want to get alerted as soon as possible after a water leak starts leaking, so we can intervene and minimize damage.
Thanks always for the newsletter which I find very interesting. My husband now lives at the Memory care unit at the CCRC where I live. He loves classic music but that’s one kind of music they do not play in that section of the CCRC. My hope is to provide the classic music in his … Read more
I love all things tech and for most of my life have been an early adapter. I'm in my third iteration of "smart home" devices. We're now to the sweet spot of phone apps, smart switches, lights, appliances and environment control enabled via home network and "the cloud" when away from home. When things go well, … Read more
Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash As part of our “Smart Home Features for Older Adults” series, we are sharing some specific recipes and “kit lists” for individual smart home features — organized on a “room by room” basis. This is about the smart living room. Overview This article covers several smart living room features that … Read more
We have intensely automated lights and devices in our home with Alexa, and in most instances voice control is a wonderful substitute when painful backs and hips and legs discourage us from getting up to go turn things on and off etc.But I use a CPAP machine and mask at night for sleep apea therapy, and … Read more
Here is how to use an Alexa routine to send texts using only your voice, on a Jitterbug Flip2 “senior-friendly” phone.
This is about my experience with different types of earbuds, especially Apple earbuds. In particular, it is about a discovery I made that let me use the AirPods to compensate for my mild hearing loss. If you like listening to music or podcasts, or regularly talk on your smartphone, you might benefit from my experiences. … Read more
I needed a smart thermostat to help overcome problems of an elderly relative with dementia and low vision. I ended up creating a solution that combined a commercially available thermostat with some DIY automation using Alexa.
Is your loved one continually misadjusting their thermostat — potentially causing health and financial issues? I wanted a thermostat that would work for people with dementia or impaired vision, or who for other reasons have trouble managing their thermostat.