If aging in your home is a priority, check out AARP’s HomeFit program that reviews ways to make your home über-intelligent. Many new home builds have options for “smart home” features, including virtual assistants like Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa, or Apple’s Siri. These assistants handle many tasks with simple voice commands, such as turning TVs on and off, selecting programs, controlling lights and appliances, adjusting thermostats, and making phone calls.
Jane King, AARP’s Virginia community ambassador, says that even if your home isn’t officially “smart,” virtual assistants can help—and in many cases, provide much needed company—playing music, providing weather information, setting alarms and reminders, and even telling jokes and stories.
Other features to consider on the lower end of the smart scale still have great potential to make homes safer. They include motion sensor nightlights, video doorbells, touch control lamps, lever-style faucets, and digital door locks that can be locked and unlocked with a code, fingerprint, or using a smartphone app.
For more tips, visit AARP.org.
This article originally appeared in the December 2024 issue.
