(BPT) – Technological advancements are helping aging adults stay safe, comfortable and connected as they age in place. And, families can feel more confident about mom, dad and the grands living independently, especially around the holidays.
‘The year 2020 brings new innovative technologies to enable us to address the unique challenges we face as we age,’ says Lisa Cini, president/CEO, Mosaic Design Studio and BestLivingTech.com. ‘Even the simplest tasks, like going to the bathroom, turning on the faucet, or cleaning up afterward can be difficult or dangerous for aging adults, but by integrating the latest gadgets into our home designs, seniors can remain safe, connected and independent.’
Lisa’s 2020 tech trends include:
- Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa can be used for a multitude of activities like listening to music and audio books, appointment and medication reminders, and hearing the weather. These gadgets can even make calls and respond to a simple ‘OK Google’ or ‘Hey Alexa,’ which can be useful after a slip or a fall (if within hearing range).
- A bidet eliminates the need for assistance in the bathroom by allowing users to clean up after themselves, providing independence and removing the embarrassment of asking for help.
- Hestan Cue Chef’s Pot measures the surface temperature of the pan via Bluetooth and is great for braising, poaching and perfecting dishes.
- Roomba the robot can vacuum multiple rooms daily and is compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. It travels back to its charging dock and can be customized to clean when you want it to.
- Moley Robotic Kitchen is a fully automated kitchen that acts as a MasterChef to cook thousands of meals. This smart robot takes away the hassle of cooking and cleaning and does everything at the touch of a button.
- Nest Smart Thermostat makes homes energy efficient, with a display that can be read from across the room or remotely by cell phone and works with Amazon’s Alexa for voice control.
- Loop keeps you connected to friends and family through a loop of photos, video and video chat.
- The Human Charger light therapy device enhances energy levels and helps you get restful, sustained sleep.
- The Dementia Day Cycle Clock displays the day of the week and morning, afternoon, evening or night, to help you distinguish between days of the week and cycles of the day.
- Med-Q Automatic Pill Dispenser will flash the corresponding day slot with a bright red light and blast an alarm that increases in volume until you take your pills at the scheduled time.
- A One Button Dementia Radio allows you to turn the radio on and off without confusing buttons and dials.
- The Wander Alarm Security Alert chimes or vibrates to let you know that the door or window has been opened.
- iGuardStove and FireAvert prevent burnt pans or fires by automatically shutting off power to the stove when the smoke alarm goes off.
- Joy for All Companion Pets provides joy without the headache as it responds to hugging, petting and motion like any typical cat or dog, mimicking the movement and purring sound of a cat to bring comfort and companionship. No need to clean the kitty litter or walk the dog in the snow with this companion pet.
BestLivingTech.com offers many of the available products above to help seniors embrace aging and independent living. As a boomer living designer, Lisa searches the world for the best technology to help people age in place and brings them all together in one online store – think Sharper Image meets AARP.
By keeping the home retrofitted with the latest technology, we can help our parents and grandparents stay safe and comfortable at home and eliminate some of the worry when we’re not around.
Lisa Cini, ASID, IIDA, is an award-winning, internationally recognized designer with decades of experience developing interiors that improve quality of life for seniors. She is the author of The Future is Here: Senior Living Reimagined, Hive: The Simple Guide to Multigenerational Living, and BOOM: The Baby Boomers Guide to Leveraging Technology, so that you can Preserve Your Independent Lifestyle & Thrive.
