What does smart-home technology make you think of? What about smart devices?
If you’re anything like us (and many of our senior residents here at Benton House) this category of home products can feel a bit sterile and overly complicated. Not exactly warm and fuzzy.
We admit, our passion is human-centered care for our senior loved ones. But recently we’ve started to wonder: Could there be a softer side to smart devices?
We dove deep into this topic, and we’ve resurfaced more inspired by these modern marvels than we expected. Let’s look at a few surprising ways smart devices can bring more warmth and comfort to your older parents as they move through their days at home.
Smart-Home Technology for a Serene Morning
Imagine: Your older parent wakes to a soothing voice emanating from their smart speaker, bidding them good morning and playing their favorite song.
They enter the kitchen, their smart thermostat already adjusting the temperature to suit their preferences. A calm and cozy start to their day.
Next, they speak a simple voice command that turns on their coffee maker. First cup of the morning: on its way, scenting the room with the aroma they love. A peaceful morning with zero effort required. These small gestures set a pleasant tone for your senior loved one’s day.
Smart Help with Hobbies
Keeping hobbies we enjoy is essential to maintaining well-being. But as we age, many of our go-to activities become more difficult. Let’s continue imagining how smart-home tech can help your senior loved ones stay inspired and engaged at home.
Perhaps your aging parent struggles with their vision. The tiny print in their dogeared copy of The Joy of Cooking is hard to read now, but they still love to cook. No problem. Their voice-activated assistant helps them search for their favorite biscuit recipe so they can still enjoy a morning of baking.
The Comforting Side of Tech
What about creature comforts? We all want our senior loved ones to feel like they can relax and feel at ease at home.
Back to this imagined day: It’s afternoon, and they’re ready for downtime. As their voice-activated assistant reads them a few chapters of the newest mystery by their favorite author, they sink into their power recliner, easily adjusting it to their liking. Turning their electric blanket on is just a smart-phone tap away in case they want a little extra warmth.
An Evening Check In with Family and Friends
Social isolation is one of the biggest challenges facing our senior loved ones. In fact, loneliness is considered at least as toxic to health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day!
Of course, spending time together in person is invaluable, but the reality is that it’s not always feasible to meet up as often as we’d like. Supporting your aging parents to easily spend virtual time with their loved ones is another great use of smart technology.
Envision this: as they wind down from their day, your senior loved one effortlessly taps into the scheduled video call with you, their grandchildren, or their friend with the tablet you’ve set up for them. To end their day on a sweet note, even just a few minutes of meaningful conversation helps them feel loved and connected from the comfort of their own home.
Help Your Parents Embrace Smart Home Technology
If we’re being honest, we were smart-tech skeptics.
After all, everything we do here at Benton House is centered around tender, loving, in-person care for our senior loved ones.
But after this deep dive, we can confidently say that smart devices don’t have to feel sterile and impersonal. When you’re clear on what kinds of challenges your senior loved one is facing, you can probably find the perfect smart device to help.
From gentle wake-up calls to super-comfortable recliners, smart technology actually can infuse warmth and support into their everyday routines.
Here’s to helping our beloved seniors feel cherished and comfortable in their own homes.
