Smart Home Devices That Make Life Easier for Seniors
By Robert Seiwert, RN, BSN
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Most people want to stay in their own home as they get older, and why would we? It's where all our stuff is, and it's the only place we can walk around in our underwear without ending up on some facility's "incident report." But turns out, when your hip is as fragile as a politician's promise, living alone comes with some serious challenges. Whether it’s having trouble moving around the house, remembering important things, or simply making a phone call, getting older means simple tasks are more difficult and potentially dangerous.
Luckily there are a ton of gadgets that can help seniors maintain their independence and give you, as their caregiver, some piece of mind from a distance.
Why Smart Home Tech Actually Matters
Smart home tech isn't just about being fancy. It basically gives your parents their own personal security guard, butler, and nagging child all wrapped up in devices that don't require a birthday present. Fall detection systems can tell the difference between someone hitting the floor and just tossing their TV remote in frustration at the five o’clock news. Emergency alerts mean help is coming before they’ve named all the dust bunnies under the couch.
For you, having the assistance of smart devices can be the difference between checking your phone every 5 minutes or actually enjoying dinner without worrying that your mother has been stuck on the toilet for hours because she can’t stand up. Trust me, this peace of mind is priceless.
And while your parents might be resistant at first, you’ll be surprised how quickly they can go from, “I don’t need that crap.” to “Honey, watch this! ‘Alexa, turn off the lights’.” When they can perform “magic” like this without navigating a room in the dark or getting out of the chair, life gets dramatically easier and safer. One of my patients calls her voice commands her "magic words," like she's Harry Potter with arthritis.
Types of Smart Devices for Seniors
It can be overwhelming to swim through the sea of tech tools out there. Here are the main categories that you should consider.
Smart Assistants
Security Systems: including Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Smart versions send alerts to a phone or emergency contacts if there's an issue. Motion Sensors: Smart motion sensors can detect unusual activity or a lack of movement (potentially indicating a fall or medical emergency). Smart Locks and Doorbell Cameras: These devices increase security by allowing remote locking/unlocking of doors and monitoring visitors.
Emergency Buttons/Wearable Devices: Devices like fall detectors and emergency alert systems can send immediate help signals to caregivers or emergency contacts.
Lighting and Home Automation: smart bulbs, fire alarms, thermostats
How to Introduce Smart Devices
Here are a few tips to introducing smart devices to your parents without starting an argument:
Start small. Begin with one device that solves their biggest problem. Nothing overwhelms faster than trying to learn seven new gadgets at once.
Write down instructions in LARGE PRINT. And when I say large, I mean "visible from space" large.
Label everything. Those little reset buttons? Label them "DO NOT PRESS UNLESS INSTRUCTED BY [insert tech-savvy family member name]."
Set up remote access for family members, but don't be creepy about it. Nobody wants their kids checking if they're in the bathroom.
Use examples by referencing things they understand. "This is like your TV remote, but for the lights" works better than explaining WiFi protocols.
When Things Go Wrong
Technology is great as long as it works but we all know that it can fail sometimes. It wasn’t until I got locked out of my house because my smart lock’s batteries had died that I really felt this. The key is having backup plans and patience.
Common problems include WiFi and power outages (have a simple backup like a something that runs on batteries and cellular service), forgotten passwords (keep them written down somewhere secure), and button confusion (label, label, label).
The biggest challenge can often be getting your parents to admit they need help. I usually break the ice by acknowledging that all of this is new and confusing for pretty much everyone. I’ll even go so far as to say, “Hey, I don’t really understand this either. Let’s figure it out together.” Pride is a powerful thing.
You can trust this.
I’m a registered nurse with years of experience helping people navigate the chaos and confusion of senior care. Every product mentioned here has been vetted through actual, day-to-day use or backed by solid professional assessments and research.
Security Systems
Home security systems help with aging parents in several ways:
Protection from anyone trying to break into their home
Detecting carbon monoxide and fire and can call for help
They can help alert both you and your parents to open windows and doors including the fridge!
They can monitor movement throughout the home.
Several security systems can be used with or without professional monitoring though we strongly recommend professional monitoring because emergencies rarely happen at convenient times. If something happens in the middle of the night, when you’re out of town, or maybe your phone is just in the other room, you don’t want to risk making your parents wait to get the help they need.
Ring Alarm System
Key Features:
Works with Alexa & Google Voice Assistant
Highly rated accessories like cameras and doorbells
DIY & Professionally monitored options
Still works with a battery backup in the event of a power outage
The two main players here are Ring and SimpiSafe. We recommend Ring because it’s more compatible with other devices, connects with Alexa to arm and disarm using your voice, and according to Consumer Reports, it’s slightly more resistant to a tech savvy intruder. It also has a less expensive video doorbell and has more positive customer reviews on Amazon.
That said, SimpiSafe is also a solid option but you’ll have to pay extra for a video doorbell.
Smart Assistants
Voice assistants help seniors in a lot of different ways from making things more accessible to setting reminders and calling for help. Here are some key benefits:
Voice commands help seniors with limited mobility, dexterity, and vision accomplish everyday tasks like turning on lights and making a phone call.
Smart assistants can set reminders for medications and appointments.
Controlling other smart devices like thermostats, music, radio.
Calling for help (for an additional fee).
Providing companionship and mental stimulation by answering questions and helping to call and connect with friends and family.
Amazon Echo Pop (with Emergency Assist)
Key Features:
Voice activated
24/7 emergency call support
Alerts sent to family and friends when calls are made
Also works when they’re away from home with an app.
The two best smart assistants in 2025 are Amazon’s Alexa and Google Voice Assistant. However, Alexa wins out for several reasons.
First, it offers you the most flexibility to connect with other smart devices including security systems, lighting, and smoke detection.
Second, and more importantly for your parents, you can use their Emergency Assist service for added protection. Google doesn’t have this kind of dedicated support at the time this article was written.
Emergency Assist - this is a subscription-based service that connects your parents to trained agents who will help. These agents will assess the situation and call emergency services as appropriate. Importantly, if you or your parent have the Alexa app, they can also use this service even if they’re not at home. However, this will not work if your power goes out.
The problem with most emergency call buttons, whether is a pendant or a wrist watch, is that they look like emergency call buttons. Unless your parent has superhuman confidence this means they’re not going to be excited to wear one. With the Apple Watch, they just look like they’re a modern human with good taste.
Emergency Buttons
Apple Watch SE
Key Features:
Discreet & Stylish so they’ll actually use it
Can detect falls & certain cardiac events.
Allows for emergency and non-emergency calling
GPS tracking
Medication reminders!
The Apple Watch is like a personal bodyguard for your elderly parents, but without the muscle. It’s got fall detection that’ll call 911 if they take a tumble, health monitoring that tracks heart rates, oxygen levels, and even basic ECGs if you are that detailed. Plus, with GPS tracking, you’ll never lose them (or at least you won’t admit it publicly). Throw in medication reminders and Family Setup, and you've got yourself a smartwatch that’ll keep them safe, healthy, and connected, all while looking cooler than any senior should.
Lighting & Home Safety
Lighting
Ok, so you’ve got the smart assistant and now you need the rest of your house to connect to it. First up: light bulbs. You could go fancy with the Philips Hue but this requires an extra piece of equipment and each bulb is 2-3x more expensive. The only reason to go with this option is if you want to use a Zigbee network which is essentially an added layer of security for your home. If you don’t care about this, read on.
WiZ bulbs are actually owned by Philips but they won’t work with the Hue system. That said, they’re generally considered to be reliable, easy to use, and setup at a fraction of the cost of a Hue bulb.
WiZ 60w A19 Smart Bulb
Offers a wide range of colors, dimming, and smart scheduling features.
Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Utilizes encryption and has privacy policies that outline how user data is handled, though it does collect data to improve services, which is typical for smart devices.
Fire & Air Quality
Next, you want to monitor air quality for things like gas leaks, fire, and other pollution. Out pick is this all-in-one smart model from Kidde.
Kidde Smoke + Carbon Monoxide + Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Separate app can notify friends and family when danger is detected
Voice alarm will speak the specific alert, "Fire”, “Carbon Monoxide”
Climate Control
A smart thermostat will make sure that your parents are safe when the weather gets too hot or cool outside. This was an easy choice because the same thermostat came up as a winner in most of the reviews we found.
Ecobee SMart Thermostat (Enhanced)
Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Energy Star certified
Automatically adjusts to a desired temperature when you’re home or sleeping.
Adjusts the temperature to account for humidity.
Smart Locks
Finally, a smart lock can help if/when someone gets locked out and makes it easy for you to check if the door gets locked at night. There are a lot of options on the market with more bells and whistles but we like this one because it has a traditional key entry as well. This is best for parents who have memory issues and might not remember a code.
Schlage Encode Plus WiFi
Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Ability to control from anywhere with a free app
Allows you to set individual codes to allow other caregivers to access the home.
Key entry
Important: as with anything else, this only works if the batteries have juice. Make sure you set a reminder to check and change the batteries regularly. Luckily, this will alert you when the batteries are running low,
The Bottom Line
After many years helping seniors navigate aging at home, I can tell you that smart home technology, even just one or two devices, will make your life easier. Every extra month someone gets to stay in their own home, surrounded by their own stuff, making their own choices? That's a win.
The families that have benefited the most aren't the ones with the most expensive setups but rather the ones who view these devices as a partner rather than an admission of defeat. My favorite success story is of a young man who was tasked with caring for his grandmother, who was my patient. The grandson used the combination of his phone, a smart assistant, and a basic security system to monitor his grandmother and remind her to take her medications all while working full time as a cook at a local restaurant. He could check in on her from time to time with some strategically placed cameras and call on his breaks to make sure the reminders he’d set up for her had worked.
That's what this is all about. Finding a way to continue to live your live while helping to maintain the dignity, independence, and safety of your parents.
So what's your story? Are you helping a parent age in place, or planning ahead for yourself? Trust me when I say the sooner you start, the easier the transition will be. And remember: the goal isn't to remove all challenges from aging, it's to make sure that your parents are able to live their life, not just survive it.