How do you make automations easy for older folks?

[Gadragora_Malroth]

I’ve been dialing in my smart home setup for a while now like lights, thermostat, security, the works... but I’m realizing not everyone in the house appreciates it as much as I do. My folks live with me, and half the time they just want a regular switch that works every time, no voice commands, no routines. For those of you with older family members or non-techy relatives, how did you find a balance between “smart” and “too smart”? Did you simplify your hub setup, or just keep a few basic automations and ditch the rest? I’m trying to make things easier before winter hits, when everyone’s home more often.

 

[Ephemer_Leader]

Haha yeah, my dad still says “just give me a switch that works.” I stopped trying to automate everything. Now I keep it to a few “quality of life” things like lights turning on when it’s dark or thermostat adjustments at night. Less confusion, fewer arguments, and fewer “why did that just turn off?!” moments.

 

[c4peCodder]

hi @Gadragora_Malroth get a dedicated, wall mounted tablet or a large smart display (like a Google Nest Hub Max) if you want something simple.
Set the screen to show only the four or five things they actually need. like 'Hallway Light,' 'Thermostat,' 'Front Door Camera.' Make the buttons HUGE. it's zero app scrolling or searching, super simple and easy to understand, right?

 

[4utoRoy]

yes, the key for older folks is to install something simple. so, forget using an app, pick something simple like motion sensors, time based controls, maybe try using a voice command

 

[Alan]

Finding that balance usually comes down to giving them a predictable fallback. A few automations that never misfire plus normal switches they can trust tends to work better than trying to automate every corner of the house. Have you noticed which parts of your setup your folks struggle with the most? That usually tells you what to scale back first.

 

[barfle]

I’m 78 years old, and I built my first 8088 PC clone back in the 1980s, so tech bynitself doesnkt scare me much. But I’m old enough to remember houses that didn’t even have thermostats. We’d turn the heater on when we were cold, and turn it off once we were warm. Automation was something dreamed about, not dealt with daily.

So automation for a senior needs to be comprehensible. Most of us geezers understand thermostats with timers, and even other adjustments for things like humidity are easily understood by most. But lights that come on when you enter a room, robovacs, automated shade controls and the like could easily upset, or at least confuse, some folks. Old dogs, new tricks sort of thing.

My dad, who almost saw his 98th birthday, was an electronics engineer during his career. After having two strokes, he couldn’t use the remote control to turn on his TV. Never mind playing a DVD. Cognitive decline is a factor to keep in mind as well. Keep it simple.

 

[TJTex331]

I’m 78 years old, and I built my first 8088 PC clone back in the 1980s, so tech bynitself doesnkt scare me much. But I’m old enough to remember houses that didn’t even have thermostats. We’d turn the heater on when we were cold, and turn it off once we were warm. Automation was something dreamed about, not dealt with daily.

So automation for a senior needs to be comprehensible. Most of us geezers understand thermostats with timers, and even other adjustments for things like humidity are easily understood by most. But lights that come on when you enter a room, robovacs, automated shade controls and the like could easily upset, or at least confuse, some folks. Old dogs, new tricks sort of thing.

My dad, who almost saw his 98th birthday, was an electronics engineer during his career. After having two strokes, he couldn’t use the remote control to turn on his TV. Never mind playing a DVD. Cognitive decline is a factor to keep in mind as well. Keep it simple.

I hear ya. I'm a 73 year old retired engineer. We are remodeling a house we bought and I am busily installing smart switches and plugs and cameras and a smart thermostat etc. I am able to turn lights and fans on and off with my voice and I am very happy with the results I am getting. I bought new smart appliances that are hooked into my home network. I have smart TVs and audio systems that are Alexa compatible. I am enjoying updating the house. However, my wife is not so enthusiastic. She has very little interest in automation or is even the least bit technically inclined, so much so that she will stand up and walk over to a smart switch to manually turn it on or off.

I think before people ask the question of "How do you make automations easy for older folks" they should ask themselves if the older folks they are trying to help even want automation or are they trying to force this on the elderly (or force it on anyone else that has no interest in having a smart home).