Taking care of elderly parents sometimes means being in the know about serious health conditions, putting in home video security. There are so many options available now to help seniors stay in their homes longer than ever before. Is it right for you or your loved one? Research is the key to find out how hard or easy a smart device is to use and if it will meet your needs. Smart shopping before Smart Home buying.
While talking with a son about artificial intelligence he started to explain a few things to me very simply. Computers are programmed about what something is. They might submit a million pictures of glasses – small glasses, large glasses, broken glasses, crystal glasses, empty glasses, glasses of milk, glasses of water, glasses of wine…. When the computer “sees” a glass it KNOWS it is a glass.
I was thinking about texting on my “I-phone”. When I typed the word happy a happy face popped up. The same thing happens with other words like sad, angry, hungry, surprised… I typed 2 or 3 letters and my phone interpreted what it thought I was in the process of saying. I now reread what I’m sending to make sure it’s really what I want to communicate.
When I was the mother of teenagers a child would arrive home and slam the door and I “knew” something was wrong. I knew each child and I knew their normal routines and I could read their message by the way they closed the door.
Seniors are living longer and most want to remain in their homes as long as possible. At times they have “needs” where artificial intelligence can be used to communicate to someone who can respond with the needed encouragement, support or help.
There are sensors that can be programmed to “know” the daily habits and routines of a senior. If there is no movement after a specific time a message goes out that things aren’t normal. A senior could still be in bed or have gotten up and fallen. If a stove is left unattended, or a fridge door isn’t closed properly an alarm alerts the senior or a sensor can even turn the stove off. Some adult children have set up cameras, with the permission of a parent, so they can monitor the people who come to their home and what they do while they are there.
Did you know that there are even smart medication containers so you or a loved one can monitor the medication needed every day?
To an extent we can control the input for things in our lives. Today my cell told me that it was 43 minutes to drive home, there was little traffic and the best route to take!*#** I did not fancy well to a computer knowing where I was and where I was going. To control my phone I asked my son in law to turn the feature off.
Working with seniors who are losing control of so much, this is a very delicate subject. Yes, they want to remain in their homes but they also want to be in CONTROL. They want to be treated with dignity and respect.
Find out what is available and what the costs are. Are there initial financial outlays? What are the monthly charges? Is a contract signed and can it be cancelled?
Gently talk about what is available and the negatives and positives of “monitoring.”
