The Integration of healthcare with home automation is life-changing
We’re just beginning to fully comprehend the extensive benefits of home automation. For years, we’ve recognized the conveniences, comforts and safety aspects of an integrated home, but we’re learning that those attributes are just the start. Today’s smart home can monitor the ill, aid the disabled and afford us the opportunity to stay in our homes longer.
It doesn’t seem so long ago that baby monitors hit the market. At last, we could breathe a sigh relief while carrying the “walkie-talkie” around from room to room. And then…baby cams were introduced and suddenly we could watch over the crib day and night. Flash forward and we can now check on our homes via our smart phones – anytime, anywhere. We appreciate the convenience and peace of mind that brings in terms of home security or even keeping watch over our pets, but imagine the comfort of being able to watch over an aging parent.
Automated Healthcare
Modern healthcare is finding new, innovative ways to make the most of our connected homes, allowing our Lake Norman residents to remain in comfortable, familiar surroundings longer. Automated, simple-to-use devices can remind an elderly person to take their medication or instruct an autistic individual how to prepare a meal. Healthcare providers can be alerted when an Alzheimer patient in their care opens a door or when a diabetic’s glucose monitor sounds. For an added measure of security, automated lighting can be triggered as well so that, in the event an audible alarm is missed, visual cues will wake the caregiver while lighting their way. Visual prompts can also be life-enhancing for the hearing impaired and elderly.
Voice and “Stress” Control
The introduction of integrated voice control has opened up a whole new realm in home healthcare. Individuals that may otherwise be unable to physically or mentally operate a touch panel or control device can now gain control of appliances, entertainment and security devices, affording them greater independence.
Home automation and, more specifically, voice-controlled devices also have a positive impact on our mental health. Multiple medical studies from various academics from Stanford, Rutgers, and University British Columbia have concluded that individuals who feel a greater sense of environmental control demonstrate increased motivation and optimism, and have been shown to have lower risk for psychopathology. That research extends to a homeowner’s ability to be “in control” of their smart home, accessing features that reduce worry and, ultimately, stress levels.
Innovative technologies continue to transform our lives. The life-saving stories are numerous and each of us can likely envision a scenario where remote monitoring, automated lighting, cameras, door locks and voice control can make our lives easier, healthier and more gratifying. Home automation, once considered purely a luxury, has become a wonderful, life-changing tool. Healthcare, along with our homes, just gets smarter and smarter.
Mental Health Benefits of Owning a Smart Home, CEPro
Health Care in Home Automation Systems with Speech Recognition and Mobile Technology, American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER)
Digital Doctors: Home Automation is Redefining Healthcare, Collective Evolution
5 ways tech is changing retirement, Ameriprise Advisors
Smart Lighting: A Home Solution with Lots of Health Benefits, Control4 blog
Home Automation Planning guide for Individuals with Autism, Control4
After Son’s Diabetes Diagnosis, IoT Exec Sees Big Role for Home Automation in Disease Management, CEPro
How Alexa’s best skill could be as a home health-care assistant, CNBC
