Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family members

Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 2:52 am
noel1983 offline
Posts: 446
Joined: Oct 17, 2014

Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family members

Hi all,
I’ve seen some mentions of things people have done to help family members with memory (remember one post about a cupboard sensor where tablets were kept with reminders to take tablets until cupboard opened)

My mum is struggling both with some physical impairments (still mobile but limited dexterity) and some memory challenges.

As a result she regularly leaves the house leaving doors open/unlocked, forgets things etc.

Thankfully she lives in a very safe area but still far from ideal (she lives alone).

So, what are some options for me to help the situation through automation.

Cost is a real challenge here so that’s front of my mind.

She has a Mac that’s on 24/7 so indigo would be an option but for now I’m really just interested in what other people have done in similar situations

One thing I bought recently for £7 was a hair straightener timer plug, just tap the top and it turns on for 20 mins, then auto off. Removes risk of leaving them on and potential heat/fire if left on bed etc

So this isn’t necessarily about full blown HA with control systems more about scenarios to deal with and options

Thanks all
Noel


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Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:23 am
howartp offline
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Joined: Jan 09, 2014
Location: West Yorkshire, UK

Re: Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family memb

Does she have a smart phone? Wifi?

What brands?

What sort of doors/locks presently?

Just asking to gauge options.

(It’s my Mum you’re referring to with tablets)


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Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:52 am
noel1983 offline
Posts: 446
Joined: Oct 17, 2014

Re: Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family memb

Apple iPhone 7, Wi-Fi throughout the house

Plain vanilla house three external doors, one front door with UK Yale nightlatch lock and deadlock as well. Back door with dead lock, sliding patio door.

In terms of doors my thinking is more on sense and notify rather than auto lock.

Any more details on how you’ve done the tablet notifications would be great.

Is that in the same house as your main indigo setup or another separate property with second system?


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Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 6:55 am
Different Computers offline
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Location: East Coast

Re: Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family memb

I don't have to worry about these things, but the first thing that came to mind for me was to use a control page to post reminders based on variables set by monitored devices.

So the control page could pop up with "Did you take your meds at 1 pm? I couldn't tell." in a large font if the medicine cabinet wasn't opened on schedule, for example.

This is probably easiest to do with DomoPad, but you might have visibility problems if you're putting control pages on relatively small, cheap tablets. Though sound effects are possible! Which brings to mind having the Mac announce that same info.

I think there are Bluetooth key fobs that can be set up to alert if the owner's phone gets too far away from them. Might be easier than trying to do it with Indigo presence detection, but Howartp's point is taken--she has to remember her phone first!

SmartThings refugee, so happy to be on Indigo. Monterey on a base M1 Mini w/Harmony Hub, Hue, DomoPad, Dynamic URL, Device Extensions, HomeKitLink, Grafana, Plex, uniFAP, Fantastic Weather, Nanoleaf, LED Simple Effects, Bond Home, Camect.

Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 7:03 am
noel1983 offline
Posts: 446
Joined: Oct 17, 2014

Re: Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family memb

Thankfully phone is pretty much always remembered

She also has an iPad and a Mac mini.

Good suggestions keep them coming! Ideally (Matt/jay please forgive me for this) it wouldn’t require indigo as that’s a significant spend but naturally interested in all options



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Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 7:36 am
durosity offline
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Joined: May 10, 2012
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Ye Ol' England.

Re: Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family memb

I’d recommend you do have indigo just because of the stability of it.. if it’s at another house you don’t want to have to ask your mum to keep rebooting some crappy smartthings Hub. Also when buying your extra licence mention my name as an affiliate

And as for locks I’d recommend simple z-wave binary sensors like the fibaro window sensor and an external Reed switch and magnet to sense if it’s locked or not. I’ve done this with my patio door lock and it works flawlessly. I’ll post some pics when I get home from my visit to the land of the free, home of the brave.. no not America.. (I tell ya it was such a relief being up there with no one going on about the football!). Obviously then you can just have notifications on indigo either via pushover or something else to tell you if something’s been unlocked for too long.

I really wish this stuff had been available 15 years ago when my gran started having issues with Alzheimer. Because she was such a cerebral woman she passed all the tests for it back then and the council wouldn’t let my mum put her in a home despite the fact she was a danger to herself (leaving the gas on, putting cutlery in the kettle, going out and wandering the local golf courses at 2am in her nighty, etc).. if this stuff had been more accessible I’d have put sensors and cameras everywhere to keep an eye on her and avoided years of family turmoil and court proceedings


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Computer says no.

Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 9:02 am
noel1983 offline
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Joined: Oct 17, 2014

Re: Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family memb

Cheers and agree that indigo is reliable, just interested in other IoT type options that may be a bit more standalone but still useful

Ie the hair straighteners timer was a great find at £7 that solved the issue really well

Appreciate the thoughts.

Look forward to see how else indigo is being used in similar situations


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Posted on
Tue Jul 10, 2018 3:35 pm
mat offline
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Joined: Nov 25, 2010
Location: Cambridgeshire - UK

Re: Automation help and ideas for older/impaired family memb

Not stand alone, but we have door sensor reminders if doors are open for more than 5 minutes. Indigo sends a text message.

Late 2018 mini 10.14

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