Have you ever wondered how Amazon’s Echo can enable someone to stay independent?

WITH the development of internet technology, smart homes have become a hot topic in society today. However, there are few smart homes designed for the elderly.

Rainbow Services (Harlow) have been funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and they are working in partnership with VAEF and CVSU to deliver the Living Smart Home project. The project helps seniors and those living with a disability in West Essex to maintain their independence and remain in their own homes by equipping their homes with technology.

Last week I had the chance to visit a Harlow resident that has some smart equipment installed. The resident I visit was partially impaired; they were facing the issue of not being able to see, hence they were conscious about being alone in their house, in case they had a fall or couldn’t see who was at door.

So for this resident, a few smart technologies were installed to help, for example, a Ring Doorbell was installed so the resident could speak to people at the door using their iPad, without the worry of any potential issue that could arise. Additionally, Amazon Echo was installed with smart bulbs and plugs so various things can be controlled by voice command. This is also useful for the residents as they could turn on the lights in rooms before getting to there, so are their pathway was fully lit. Also, having the Echo, the resident is able to trigger emergency calls if required, create lists, listen to calming music to relax and much more, making their life easier and allowing them to stay independent in their own house. Furthermore, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick was installed into the resident’s home to make their TV voice-controlled, which means the resident could watch something without worrying about seeing the TV guides and other menus.
Additionally, the resident had faced the issue of losing their fridge contents serval times as their door had been left open, for this reason, sensors were added to the fridge, so if the door was left open for 5 minutes or more, the resident would get a text message alerting them to the issue.

After speaking to the resident, they said that “this technology has helped them a lot to stay independent and to continue to live in their own house.” Rainbow is still closely working with the resident, to implement new tech to help with new issues and current issues.

After seeing this project, I’m amazed at how simple smart gadgets can help accessibility and help build independence. This project is 100% worthwhile and shows how smart technology can be a force for good.

As part of the project, Rainbow Services have agreed with the residents that they can invite people to their home for a drink and a chat at specific times so people can see this technology in action; if you wish to see a Living Smart Home, please get in touch with Kate Greer at Rainbow Services via 01279 308 150.