4 Smart Home Hacks to Help You Age in Place

Hoping to stay in your home forever, no matter your age or ability?

Technology — more specifically smart home technology — is becoming a big part of the Aging in Place holistic home improvement strategy that allows you to do just that. “We’ve seen a huge uptick in business as more people look for technology that will keep them in their homes,” says Ric Johnson, Chief Technologist at Right at Home Technologies, a home automation company in Ohio that specializes in so-called aging in place remodels.

This video from our Smart Home Hack series shows four smart home products in action. If you need help with some of the installation, HomeAdvisor can connect you with a pre-screened handyman or electrician. Depending on the scope of the work, you could be in and out for a couple hundred dollars, or less.

Here are four smart home hacks that will make your home livable for longer.

1. Add Motion Sensor Lights

Motion-sense capabilities minimize tripping hazards by automatically illuminating dark hallways and stairwells.
Philips Hue Starter Kit, $150

2. Bring in a Digital Assistant

The smart speaker gives hands-free control of the home, and it can remind homeowners to take their medicine or schedule a doctor’s visit.
Amazon Echo, $100

3. Put Robotics to Work

Robotic vacuums keep floors clean and minimize airborne allergens without you having to lug out a hefty, full-size vac.
ILIFE A4 Robot Vacuum Cleaner,$210

4. Monitor Loved Ones from Afar

Remote monitoring provides peace of mind for loved ones of people with dementia and other disabilities.
Arlo WiFi Camera, $140

Dan’s Bottom Line

Grab bars and wheelchair ramps are synonymous with aging in place. Those measures might come into play some day, but smart home technology is a great tool for increasing a home’s safety, accessibility, and ease-of-use, today and in the years to the come.

According to HomeAdvisor’s recent Aging in Place Report, smart home technology appeared frequently on the lists of most popular home improvement projects from homeowners in both the 55-to-75 and 75-and-up cohorts. Combine that with the widespread adoption of smart home by Millennials, and there aren’t many homeowners who can’t benefit from the technology.

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