Technology Will Provide A New Smart Helper In The House

To Give Us A Better Chance Of Aging In Place

In the next twenty years, the senior population in Canada will grow by 68%. Governments are advocating aging in place which seems popular amongst seniors. The problem is, our existing system is not set up for aging in place. In fact, it needs a lot of help, and fast! One place we can look for help is TECHNOLOGY.

Most images featured on this site are generated by MidJourney AI based on prompts created by the site owner. 

in the near future, seniors will be the majority voting public and can wield a lot of power
Seniors While Being The Majority Voting Public, Cannot Wait For Government Help - They Are Putting Their Hope On Technology.
Domestic service robots and new technology have the potential of ensuring seniors can enjoy aging in place
The Future Humanoid Robot Can Attend To The Health, Well Being and Safety of Seniors While Carrying Out Household Chores.

Current Technology for Seniors Aging in Place Is Not Quite Adequate

Nowadays companies are making a variety of platforms available to support aging in place. However, many of the hardware and software solutions fall short of fully addressing the complex needs of seniors. The humanoid home service robot is not quite ready to serve. Here’s an in-depth analysis of the present technology landscape:

Available Smart Home Devices : 

Such as Amazon Echo, Google Nest, smart thermostats, lights, and smart doorbells have gained significant market traction. These are relatively affordable and easy to install. They offer voice-activated control for daily activities like adjusting lighting, setting reminders, and managing home security. Conclusion: While smart home assistants can improve convenience, they offer minimal help for complex needs like health monitoring or emergency management. The shortfall makes them mediocre in terms of their ability to allow seniors to truly age in place independently.

Wearable Health Monitors You Can Buy : 

Devices like the Apple Watch, Fitbit, and dedicated medical alert systems (such as Life Alert and MobileHelp) monitor vitals like heart rate, sleep patterns, and fall detection. Conclusion: Wearable health monitors are useful but don’t provide comprehensive monitoring. They offer moderate help in critical areas like fall detection but are still mediocre in their broader utility for aging in place.

Home Security Systems In The Market: 

Smart security systems like Ring, ADT, and SimpliSafe provide home surveillance, doorbell cameras, and motion sensors. These systems can alert homeowners (or their caregivers) to intruders or unexpected activity around the house. Conclusion: Security systems provide minimal help with aging in place. They offer some external security but don’t address the internal health and safety needs of seniors.

Health and Medication Management Apps – Available Technology: 

Various health apps and platforms (e.g., PillPack, Medisafe) help seniors manage medications by providing reminders and automatic prescription refills. Usefulness for Seniors: Moderate

  • Strengths: Medication management apps are relatively easy to use for seniors who are comfortable with smartphones or tablets. They help reduce medication errors, which are a major risk for seniors living independently.
  • Limitations: Reliance on technology can be a barrier, especially for those unfamiliar with smartphones. Moreover, these apps don’t monitor whether medications are actually taken and don’t integrate well with other aspects of health monitoring, like nutrition or symptom tracking.
  • Conclusion: These apps are helpful for seniors who are tech-savvy but are mediocre in terms of holistic care. They provide moderate help with only one aspect of health management.
today's robots functions are limited to chatting with seniors and keeping them company. we need to wait a few years before they can be more useful to us.
Limited Role Played By Robots Today : Therapeutic Robot and Senior Carrying On Conversation
without a better name to call it, the roomba vacuum cleaner is a robot also, a single function robot, far from what we expect from a humanoid full function domestic service robot
This Automatic Vacuum Cleaner Is Called A Robot - Not Quite The Kind We Are Envisioning

Robotics and AI-Powered Assistants – Available Technology: 

Early-stage robots like SoftBank’s Pepper and ElliQ by Intuition Robotics are designed to assist with companionship, reminders, and basic household chores. AI-powered devices (such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant) can provide reminders, assist with routines, and help seniors stay connected to loved ones. Usefulness for Seniors: Minimal

  • Strengths: Robotics show a lot of potential for helping seniors with loneliness and managing daily tasks. AI assistants are also useful in setting reminders for medications, meals, or appointments.
  • Limitations: Current robots are far from being able to perform more complex tasks like cooking, cleaning, or providing health monitoring. They also tend to be expensive and not fully capable of providing meaningful assistance beyond simple reminders or conversation. Moreover, their lack of physical task capability means they offer very limited functional help for seniors.
  • Conclusion: At this stage, robotic and AI assistants offer minimal practical help for seniors. They are promising but currently mediocre in delivering the type of support seniors need to age in place effectively.

Overall Analysis: Mediocrity and Gaps in Available Technology

While the technology available today offers some level of support for seniors, the overall utility is mediocre at best. Most current solutions only address specific needs (e.g., reminders, fall detection, or security) but fail to integrate into a comprehensive system that can provide robust support for seniors aging in place. The key issues with current technology include:

Fragmentation: The technologies available (e.g., wearables, smart home devices, and health apps) often work in isolation. But there’s little integration across these platforms.

Learning Curve: Seniors often find it difficult to adapt to new technologies. Especially when systems require constant updates, charging, or maintenance.

Limited Scope: Few technologies provide the full spectrum of assistance seniors need, such as physical help with mobility, comprehensive health monitoring, or emotional support.

Conclusion: Current hardware and software for seniors aging in place provide only minimal to moderate help in most cases. They are fragmented, have a steep learning curve, and often don’t cover the full range of senior care needs. As a result, the available technology is mediocre in offering comprehensive support, and there’s a significant gap between what seniors need and what’s currently on the market. The future of aging in place will require more integrated, intuitive, and multifunctional technologies that can help seniors with every aspect of their daily lives, from health and safety to mental stimulation and physical care.

Here Is When We Can Expect To Buy A Humanoid Domestic Service Robot And For How Much

2 pictures of robots in development : left - UBTech Walker X, China, Estimated Available Now, Price Range High, $96000 right - Apptronik Apollo, Texas, Estimated Available 2026, Price Range $30000 - $50000

These Robots Will Be Continually Refined Until Seniors Can Age In Place Satisfactorily

There are many companies working on robots. Some are for industrial use, some are for military use and some are for home service use. It’s the third type that we are interested in. The first batch of humanoid domestic service robots from manufacturers like Tesla, Apptronik, and 1X Technologies may not fully meet the diverse and complex needs of seniors aging in place. These initial versions are likely to focus on simple, repetitive tasks such as carrying objects, navigating homes, or providing reminders. However, to become truly effective for eldercare, future iterations of these robots will need to improve. Especially in areas like fine motor skills, enhanced mobility in complex environments, and more intuitive interaction through AI-driven communication. 

Robots will also need to be more empathetic and capable of handling sensitive caregiving tasks, such as medication management or emotional support. As these manufacturers continue to refine their designs, we can expect them to incorporate advanced dexterous hands, better voice recognition, and more sophisticated AI that can adapt to the unique physical and emotional needs of seniors over time. While the initial models may be useful, they will likely serve more as assistants rather than comprehensive caregiving solutions in their early stages. All in all, we shall see these companies taking great strides in the field of robotics and AI.

The Following Section Represents Our Ideas Of What We Want To See In The Future For Technology To Help Us Age In Place.

Robot helps prepare for rummage sale, tag, categorize, price and separate things in piles
Robot Can Help To Declutter A House By Doing The Tedious Tasks of Preparing For A Rummage Sale
Daily Chores Such As Loading The Dishwasher Can Be Handled By The Robot Once It Is Trained To Do So Properly
in the near future, robot can offer physical assistance to seniors living in own house in their daily routines
Daily Routines May Need A Helping Hand As We Get Older Living In Our Own Houses.
A humanoid robot scanning a senior without her noticing while chatting amiably with the old lady. In a few years, robots can help monitor the health and well-being of seniors in their own houses.
Robot Chats Amiably With A Senior While Scanning Her For Symptoms and Deviated Demeanors.

Some Of The Numerous Tasks The Robot Can Perform To Ensure Smooth Aging In Place

NO MORE BORING, REPETITIVE, BACK-BREAKING, MIND-NUMBING & UNPLEASANT WORK FOR US. AND WE SHALL HAVE SOMEONE INTELLIGENT TO TALK TO, PLAY WITH, CONFIDE IN, COMPETE WITH, RELY ON & HANG OUT WITH.

left photo : robot giving medication to senior; right photo : robot vacuuming floor in a simple beautiful modern house
Left : Giving Medication To Senior So She Won't Forget; Right : Robot Vacuuming Floor
left photo : to keep senior's mind active, robot is seen playing chess with old lady; right photo : robot is mowing lawn
Left : Partner To Play Chess With; Right : Robot Mowing Lawn
left photo : robot is walking with old man with walker, showing him how to do it best and at the same time keeping him company and safe; right photo : robot is adjusting and calibrating the amount of light, air conditioning or heating and other environmental items
Left : Robot Is Walking With Senior With Walker, Keeping Him Safe; Right : Lighting, Heating & Other Concerns Are Under Control
left photo : robot is putting things away and organizing the kitchen pantry; right photo : robot is reading a book to an old lady in bed at night
Left : Helps Keeping The House Organized, Neat & Clean; Right : Robot is Reading A Book To A Senior In Bed At Night

Something To Look Forward To, Something Worth Waiting For

While it may take another ten years or more to develop a truly efficient robot that can fully support aging in place, this steady progress is expected. Just as Tesla’s electric vehicles, which launched 16 years ago, have continually improved and are now better than gasoline cars in many respects. Service robots will also evolve, becoming more capable with each generation. The technology is advancing, and we can confidently expect robots to keep improving and adapting to meet the needs of seniors.

Not only large multinational companies are gearing up to produce such humanoid robots, small garage shops such as Kind Humanoid are quietly developing the same which one day will be helping us at home. 

In a humanoid domestic service robot, hardware and software must work seamlessly together to perform complex tasks efficiently and safely. The hardware, such as servo motors, sensors, and actuators, provides the physical capabilities of the robot. These capabilities allow it to move, grasp objects, or assist with mobility. 

However, it is the software that serves as the brain, processing inputs from the environment and deciding how the robot should respond. This involves sophisticated algorithms for vision, speech recognition, and decision-making. The software directs the hardware’s precise movements, ensuring that tasks such as assisting seniors with daily chores or caregiving are done with care and accuracy. For a robot to serve seniors effectively, the software must be fine-tuned to handle real-time feedback from sensors. It needs to be making decisions that prioritize safety and comfort, and adapting to the unique needs of seniors aging in place.

New Components Are Being Developed For The Robotic Industry In Different Counties. This servo motor is created by Renishaw of UK and RLS of Slovenia. They created servo motors for robots that beat the challenge of : Modern cobot designs tend to be built on a human scale and require compact, lightweight motorized joints with high motor torque densities.
New Servo Motor For Robots : High Torque, Compact and Lightweight - Developed by Renishaw UK and RLS Slovenia.
Millions of lines of codes need to be written to make humanoid domestic service robots function as we want them - this is a trial and error process, refinements and improvements are needed
Tremendous Number Of Lines Of Codes Are Needed For Software That Seamlessly Coordinates the Hardware.

The Ultimate Home Security Is Not Just An Alarm System

The story of the three little pigs teaches us the importance of building wisely to stay safe from threats. Instead of living in fear in flimsy, poorly built homes, seniors should rethink their surroundings and focus on building with strategy and defense in mind. A well-constructed house is a secure house, and smaller homes are easier to defend. Grouping windows and entry points into larger, consolidated openings makes it easier to protect them with automatic or remote-controlled security shutters yet to be developed that can secure our houses while being aesthetically pleasing. 

In today’s world, thieves have become increasingly skilled at breaking into online accounts and stealing money or even house titles. To detect fraud early, it’s important to monitor accounts regularly—ideally, every day. Trusted robots can handle the tedious task of daily checks, alerting financial institutions and authorities if any suspicious activity is detected.

group your windows together into large window walls with strong metal frames, fit laminated glass on the outside of the thermal pane and install metal security shutters on the inside in a sturdy metal frame - operation remotely controlled by the service robot
The Strong Window Is The Kind That Has Laminated Glass On The Outside Of The Thermal Pane In A Strong Metal Frame, And Then Fitted With A Set Of Metal Security Shutters In Their Own Strong Frame, Controlled Remotely By The Homeowner Or Robot.
in the future, the robot can be trained to check transactions in bank account, credit card accounts, investment accounts, land transfer titles, etc. on a daily basis, to catch fraudulent activities quickly
Your Faithful Robot Can Check Daily Transactions In Your Various Accounts To Prevent Fraud. It Can Even Detect Intrusion In Your House And Act Accordingly When You Are Not There Or Sleeping. Closing The Security Shutters Takes Just Seconds.

Robot Manufacturers Should Consult Seniors Aging In Place How They Want Their Robots To Look.

robots come in all shapes and forms. for seniors wanting aging in place and willing to live with a robot 24/7 under the same roof, manufacturers need to carefully consult the seniors about what their preferences are for the styling of robots
Styling Of Robots Is Of Paramount Importance To Seniors Between Choosing To Have Or Not To Have A Robot At Home

In The Future, Inexpensive Tablets Can Be Mounted On Walls And Ceilings With Modular Plugged-In Sensors. They Can Observe, Detect, Monitor, Listen, Talk, Display, Secure, Inform, Alert, Contact, Etc. While The Robot And Homeowners Decide What Action To Take In Response To A Certain Task Or Event.

an uncluttered minimalist interior shot of a basement with a private garden with skylights above, a robot standing to attention on the left hand side, on the right side is a wall with a computer tablet mounted high up the wall fitted with modular plugged in sensors detecting and monitoring changes in the surrounding - it talks to the robot 24/7
Our Houses Will Be Fully Connected For Safety, Comfort, Cleanliness And Efficiency. Robot, Occupants & Tablets Will Communicate With Each Other Ensuring The Whole House And Its Occupants Will Be Taken Care Of 24/7.
Tablet mounted high is used in our house to ensure we live happily, safely, soundly, punctually, efficiently and worry free.
Tablets Can Around-The-Clock Monitor For Changes, Communicate With Us Or Our Robot, Warn Us Of Any Danger, Remind Us To Tend To Our Pets, Remind Us To Take Our Medicines, Etc. Sensors Can Be Added As Our Needs Arise.
seniors aging in place want a bath tub that is easy to get in and out with or without the help of a service robot - this new invention has a thick hypoallergenic synthetic rubber lining lifted by a hydraulic platform underneath - water is drained from the tub before lifting is engaged
A Suggestion For Bathroom Fixture Manufacturers - Invent Fixtures That Make It Easier For Seniors To Age In Place - Like This Bath Tub With Hydraulic Lift Inside Under A Liner Of Synthetic Rubber
In 1980, the first "paperless toilet" was launched in Japan by manufacturer Toto, a combination of toilet and bidet which also dries the user after washing. Sadly there are very few innovative bathroom fixtures that can make the bathroom experience truly safe for seniors. We want to see more creative fixtures to be invented for the bathroom. To start with, we like to take baths instead of showers. Make us a tub that is easy to use and to get in and out. Here is an idea of a tub lined with hypoallergenic synthetic rubber with a hydraulic platform mounted on the bottom under the rubber skin. In the fully raised position, the senior user can simply sit on the tub and get on or off the tub.
In 1980, the first "paperless toilet" was launched in Japan by manufacturer Toto, a combination of toilet and bidet which also dries the user after washing. Sadly there are very few innovative bathroom fixtures that can make the bathroom experience truly safe for seniors. We want to see more creative ideas to be proposed for the bathroom. To start with, we'd like to take baths instead of showers. Make us a bath tub that is easy to use and to get in and out. Here is an idea of a tub lined with hypoallergenic synthetic rubber with a hydraulic platform mounted on the bottom under the rubber skin. In the fully raised position, the senior user can simply sit on the tub and get on or off.

Send Us Your Feedback. Ask Questions. We’ll Try To Help The Best We Can.

Click Here To Send Email

Click Here For HomePage

Go to our homepage and read about this website and get links to other pages. This is the most comprehensive site on the most preferred senior lifestyle.

BACK TO TOP

Disclaimer

The information provided on this website, including but not limited to suggestions related to home safety, lightening personal possessions, and house maintenance, is for general informational purposes only. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date content, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of the information provided. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.

By using this website, you agree that:

  1. You are solely responsible for ensuring the safety of your home environment. Our recommendations are provided as general suggestions, and we encourage you to consult with qualified professionals (e.g., electricians, contractors, or security specialists) before undertaking any actions or making changes that may impact the safety or structure of your home.
  2. Any guidance on organizing or reducing personal possessions is based on general principles. Individual circumstances may vary, and we recommend seeking the advice of professional organizers or counselors if needed. We are not responsible for any unintended outcomes from following such advice, including emotional or psychological impacts.
  3. You should perform routine house maintenance only to the extent you feel competent to do so. For any tasks beyond your skill level, we strongly advise hiring qualified tradespeople. We are not liable for any injuries, property damage, or other issues that may arise from attempting suggested tasks.
  4. The website does not assume responsibility for any loss, damage, or liability that may occur as a result of using the information provided, and we are not liable for any errors or omissions in the content.

In no event will we be held liable for any loss or damage, including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, arising out of or in connection with the use of this website or the information contained herein.

Please consult with professionals where necessary and take personal responsibility for the actions you choose to implement in your home.