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In the last month or so, I saw several “technology for the elderly” articles on both the New York Times and NPR.  This really got me thinking on this topic because I am passionate about both subjects.  So I started thinking of how I could put my love for electronic gadgetry to better use. 

 First though, the articles that have been discussing the monitoring technology to assist seniors is sometimes selling this as an alternative to having a caregiver or an assisted living arrangement.  I do disagree with this.  I do not think these products or services can take the place of a human caregiver.  I do, however, believe that they can work together.  No camera, remote control, sensor or robot will EVER take the place of a compassionate and professional caregiver. 

 There is a time in the ageing process where monitoring and automation can be very beneficial and in fact, I believe it can help to not only improve safety but prolong independence. 

My hope is to implement a program to introduce home automation products to seniors who have our services to further empower them to control their surroundings.  Just because someone has a functional disability that my inhibit them mentally or physically does not mean they can’t expect to be able to control things around the house such as lights and small appliances.  In fact, if you can operate a TV remote control, you can turn on the lights almost anywhere in your home, or turn of and on appliances such as a coffee pot.  You can also see who is at the door or what is going on in the other room with a closed circuit TV system.  Add a motion detector to the equation and you have just turned a light on and kept your hands free for stability. 

If any of these ideas sound helpful to you, I hope you will call me so we can discuss how easy it is to set them up.