The families using tech to help grandma stay independent longer
5 hours ago
- #Aging-in-Place Technology
- #Remote Caregiving
- #Smart Home Devices
- Karen Murray uses JubileeTV to remotely manage her 93-year-old mother Marion's TV, music, and calls, helping her age in place with cognitive impairment.
- Smart home appliances like Samsung refrigerators, iGuardStove, and smart showers offer AI-driven caregiving features for older adults, aiming to support independence and reduce caregiver stress.
- Costs vary widely, from JubileeTV's $39/month to high-end appliances over $3,000, with families balancing expenses against assisted living bills.
- Caregivers report mixed experiences: tech helps monitor safety and provide companionship, but concerns include reliability, privacy, usability, and lack of clinical validation.
- AI companions like ElliQ assist with medication reminders, exercises, and social interaction, though some users caution against replacing human relationships.
- Adoption challenges persist, as older adults may struggle with complex tech, and products often lack accessibility testing or real-world input from users.