For those people who have a disability or suffer from a chronic illness, many of the daily tasks that we take for granted can become extremely difficult. As, whether it’s reduced mobility from a disorder such as arthritis, or reduced memory or brain fog caused by something like dementia – either way, many people feel less independent in their own homes. Which means, more and more disabled and vulnerable people are becoming reliant on family members or carers for help.

However, with advancements in technology, smart homes – where many of the aspects of our homes are controlled through a central hub – are now allowing people to once again become independent in their homes, improving the happiness and well-being of men and women across the country.

Would you like to know how smart home automation could help you? Well here are just some of the ways tech can benefit the homes of both disabled and vulnerable people:

Medication Reminders

Many of us familiar with smart homes tech, will be aware of smart speakers and their ability to play our favourite music with a simple voice command.

However, smart speakers can be used in a large number of ways that can benefit disabled people in their homes. Especially as many conditions, such as fibromyalgia, can cause something called ‘brain fog’, where sufferers can often become forgetful.

This can be problematic when it comes to remembering appointments and even when to take medication. Which is where your smart tech comes in, as your hub can be set up to give you daily reminders to take tablets and can advise you of any upcoming dates in your diary – such as hospital visits or birthday reminders – well in advance.

Smart Lighting

If you have diminished mobility, it can often be difficult to turn lamps and central lighting on and off. Especially when getting to that light switch can take a lot of energy and pain. Which is why smart lighting is so popular, as with a simple voice command you can turn lights on and off, or even dim them slightly. This can be particularly useful if you have a sensitivity to light. As, if the lighting is too strong and hurting your eyes, simply use your hub to adjust that lighting from the comfort of your chair or bed.

Motion sensors and lighting timers can also be set up in your home. Meaning, if you get up in the night to visit the bathroom, a light will come on automatically without you needing to find a switch. Plus, as you can set timers where your lights come on at night, your home will always look populated and undesirable to burglars, making you feel safer in your home. This smart home automation can also be extended to blinds, again allowing your home to look and feel populated, even if it’s just yourself in one room.

Smart Energy Management

When most of us become chilly or too warm in our homes, we simply get up and adjust the thermostat. However, when your disabled or suffering from a chronic illness, this can be a difficult task, which is why smart tech is so useful, as with a simple touch of a button on an app or a voice command, you can have your heating at exactly the right temperature for you.

This is especially useful for climates where the weather can be unpredictable. As, although you can set up a timer on your boiler for certain times of the day in different seasons, with your smart hub you can control your heating at any time.

More so, for vulnerable or older people, it can become difficult to know when your home is too warm or cold. With a smart energy management tool, though, a family member can monitor the local weather from their own home and adjust the heating to ensure a comfortable environment.

Video Doorbells and Alarm Systems

When you suffer from constant pain or difficulty in movement, the last thing you want to hear is your doorbell. Particularly when you struggle to get to the door only to find yourself face-to-face with a cold caller salesperson. With a video doorbell, though, you can view and even speak to anyone at your door – all without moving a muscle!

This can be particularly useful if you have a delivery, as you can chat and ask them to leave your parcel at the door – allowing you more time to get to the door – or even ask them to put it in a safe place until someone can fetch it for you later. You could even consider an automated door lock, that will allow you to let trusted people into your home without you needing to physically unlock the door.

Video doorbells can be an extremely useful smart home security tool as well, as if you hear a noise at your door or the motion sensors detect movement, you can view the camera to see if there is anyone there. CCTV can also be linked to your smart hub, allowing you to feel completely safe in your home at all times.

This can also be useful for the families of vulnerable people, as from your home you can be alerted if anyone rings the bell or is moving around that person’s home, allowing you to take action.

Safety Sensors

Particularly for older people or for those suffering from dementia, it’s often a worry from loved ones that the person in question may cause injury to themselves or damage to their home by leaving taps or something like the oven on. Which is why many people start to lose their independence and face assisted-living. However, with smart home systems, you can feel safe in the knowledge that this won’t happen.

That’s because, with technology such as leak sensors, you can monitor for taps or ovens being left on and turn them off remotely. These sensors can also be set up to turn off automatically, providing peace of mind for everyone.

These are just some of the ways that smart technology can be used to allow disabled and vulnerable people feel more independent and secure in their homes. If you’d like to discuss smart tech options for your home, simply get in touch today and we’ll help set up your home exactly to your needs.

Contact us now for a free consultation with one of our directors

info@intecho.co.uk

01565 750 632