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How Smart Home Technology Assists Independent Living

There’s a big misconception that smart home technology is the preserve of the young and hip. Nothing could be further from the truth. In our experience, smart devices fit into just about every lifestyle, including the lives of seniors. We can help them enjoy more independent lives in the homes they love i.e. their own homes, thanks to the technology we provide. 

Our population is an ageing one. According to the World Health Organisation,  global life expectancy spiked by 5.5 years from 2000 to 2016 thanks to improved housing and nutrition along with advances in medical technology and public health. Because of all these things, our senior citizens feel fit and healthy and have a justified expectation that they should live in their own homes and take care of themselves for longer. And that’s where we come in.

For example, smart lighting automatically illuminates rooms, hallways and entrances. This removes the risks for people with diminished eyesight who might otherwise stumble and fall in an area that remains dark until they reach a switch. Plus, as a security feature, smart lighting can make a house look occupied even when it’s not. 

Motion sensors are another piece of smart technology designed not so much for the inhabitant of the home, but for their family who wants reassurance that everything is OK with their loved one. For example, sensors can detect if someone has got up and out of bed and started going about their daily business. This form of smart technology can even detect when someone has opened a bathroom cabinet or kitchen cupboard to take their medication; yet another way of giving a family in another home further assurance.

A final example is voice-controlled technology. Not everyone of a certain age is tech-savvy and the thought of using apps or interfaces on physical devices to use appliances might not appeal to them, or could be a little too complex to understand. However, voice-controlled technology is something everyone can master and can help someone enjoy all the “mod cons” without any problems at all.  

Many of our clients are people who want their Mum and Dad to live independently but who are also anxious about that prospect. Smart home technology can give their parents the independence they crave while easing the minds of their family. We’ve given you just a few examples of how our technology satisfies both sets of desires, and if you contact us we’d happily tell you a few more.

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Connecting your home

Matt Slater

81 Grafton Rd, Grafton,
Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Phone: 0800 947 348
PO Box: 28417, Remuera,
Auckland 1541
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