Smart device for checking on elderly mother?

[98elise]

My mother lives on her own and is coming to an age where she could fall and not be able to summon help.

She has Alexa which she can make calls on by voice, but I want to put in an automated alert so that if say she didn't trigger a motion detector, or boil the kettle (energy monitoring plug) by a set time it would send an alert to us.

I've looked at IFTTT and it looks like it's just point and click event triggers.

Has anyone done something similar?

You can buy dedicated systems but we're not at that stage yet.

[Tycho]

Apple watches have fall detection and I believe you can set them up as a family device without an iPhone.

https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2020/09/apple-ex...

[cliffords]

I used Ring cameras before my mum went into care they were very good. She also had a personal panic alarm from the local age concern that was a wrist band. Also very good and used often

[98elise]

Tycho said:

Apple watches have fall detection and I believe you can set them up as a family device without an iPhone.

https://www.apple.com/uk/newsroom/2020/09/apple-ex...

She wouldn't remember to charge it!

She's also at that age were new technology is something to be scared of. She's just about happy with a tablet, but refuses to have a Smart phone even though I've explained they are pretty much the same thing.

The solution needs to be passive from her perspective.

[98elise]

cliffords said:

I used Ring cameras before my mum went into care they were very good. She also had a personal panic alarm from the local age concern that was a wrist band. Also very good and used often

The problem with a camera is it needs actively checking. At the moment she is very independent so no need to check on her every day. The problem is that point can come very suddenly, so we want a fail safe in the mean time.

Same goes with giving her anything that she has to wear or operate. She feels independent so doesn't want to be treated like an old person.

I'm just well aware that things can go south very quickly. My MIL had a bad fall and it was only luck that we were visiting that day.

[redrabbit29]

We have used this for our cat monitoring and general home security if away. £23. It has motion detection which you can set at different sensitivities

With a micro SD it also records any activations. It has a call feature where you can both just yell something through or do a full blown call where you can open the mic and talk

It's brilliant quality for the price

https://amzn.eu/d/erZ5uWH

[98elise]

redrabbit29 said:

We have used this for our cat monitoring and general home security if away. £23. It has motion detection which you can set at different sensitivities

With a micro SD it also records any activations. It has a call feature where you can both just yell something through or do a full blown call where you can open the mic and talk

It's brilliant quality for the price

https://amzn.eu/d/erZ5uWH

We effectively already have that with Alexa. We don't want activity alerts though, what we want is an alert when there is a lack of activity over a time period. At the moment she is completely independent so we would just be getting positive alerts for years otherwise.

I'm beginning think smart devices are not geared up for this. Even IFTTT seems to be positive actions to trigger stuff, there doesn't seem to be a way to apply logic over a time period. It's something I could do simply with code and a table of data.

[Fore Left]

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

[NWMark]

Fore Left said:

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

This is a good suggestion, and definitely worth a call to the local council but may be too heavy handed for what you are currently trying to achieve.

Smart devices will do what you want but its not as simple as buying one device to do it.

Its essentially a two part process
- install smart devices that will monitor the actions or activity
- use a product (e.g. IFTTT) to query the smart device data and sending alerts

e.g. you could have a motion sensor set up which records motion at all times and then use an IFTTT custom action (think they are called applets also think this requires a pro subscription now) to check at a set time if motion has occurred between a time period or when was the last motion and if its outside of your set bounds, send an alert (email, sms)
You could do the same with a smart plug, these now monitor energy usage, plug the kettle into one of these and easy to see when it was last used.

I have used Samsung smarthings in the past which is as user friendly as it gets and could do the above, they do a great starter kit with the hub, motion sensor, smart plug and door/window sensor, this will still require a certain level of IT experience and a good deal of configuration.

I have moved onto Home Assistant now which is far more powerful and configurable but wouldn't recommend that as a starting point.

Edited by NWMark on Monday 5th June 13:07

[rek]

When We had this dilemma two years ago we spoke to age uk and on their advice we got my mum a careline box with a pendant that she wears as a watch. It has detected correctly two fall incidents and in over a couple of years and both cases they summoned help. They have an ordered notification list which you can update via email as well as entry details for the emergency services as she had a key box.

I added a separate blink camera to the Amazon echo device for my own peace of mind which she could arm when going out.

Shes now moved into sheltered accommodation but keeps the careline system as well as having the built in pull cord stuff…

They suggest once a month using the manual activation to test all is good.

[98elise]

NWMark said:

Fore Left said:

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

This is a good suggestion, and definitely worth a call to the local council but may be too heavy handed for what you are currently trying to achieve.

Smart devices will do what you want but its not as simple as buying one device to do it.

Its essentially a two part process
- install smart devices that will monitor the actions or activity
- use a product (e.g. IFTTT) to query the smart device data and sending alerts

e.g. you could have a motion sensor set up which records motion at all times and then use an IFTTT custom action (think they are called applets also think this requires a pro subscription now) to check at a set time if motion has occurred between a time period or when was the last motion and if its outside of your set bounds, send an alert (email, sms)
You could do the same with a smart plug, these now monitor energy usage, plug the kettle into one of these and easy to see when it was last used.

I have used Samsung smarthings in the past which is as user friendly as it gets and could do the above, they do a great starter kit with the hub, motion sensor, smart plug and door/window sensor, this will still require a certain level of IT experience and a good deal of configuration.

I have moved onto Home Assistant now which is far more powerful and configurable but wouldn't recommend that as a starting point.

Edited by NWMark on Monday 5th June 13:07

I've had a play with IFTTT and so far it seems too simplistic, but even then doesn't seem to work well.

I've already tried a similar approach to what you suggested. I set it up to create and update a spreadsheet where at command is given via the virtual assistant. The access and applet all seem to integrate ok but it doesn't do anything when the command is given.

I was going to try and use the spreadsheet as a database which could then be queried in a second schedules job.

I'll keep playing with it to see if it can be done.

[98elise]

Fore Left said:

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

That's way over the top for what we need! She doesn't have any health issues that need monitoring and she's still quite capable and active. She still digs her garden and is about to redecorate the whole house!

The only issue is she is at the age where a fall could mean she's on the floor for days, so I want a simple trigger when something doesn't happen, like boiling the kettle in the morning.

[arfur]

Fore Left said:

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

My parents had this ... worth every penny. They also had the panic necklaces and these were used a few times to great effect and benefit for my folks

hth

[softtop]

98elise said:

Fore Left said:

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

That's way over the top for what we need! She doesn't have any health issues that need monitoring and she's still quite capable and active. She still digs her garden and is about to redecorate the whole house!

The only issue is she is at the age where a fall could mean she's on the floor for days, so I want a simple trigger when something doesn't happen, like boiling the kettle in the morning.

then a fridge sensor is a possibility, if it's not opened every day, you know there's an issue. you could still have the careline set up or find another way to get the signal out to you. I would google Telecare as there's loads of companies doing it now.

[Fore Left]

98elise said:

Fore Left said:

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

That's way over the top for what we need! She doesn't have any health issues that need monitoring and she's still quite capable and active. She still digs her garden and is about to redecorate the whole house!

The only issue is she is at the age where a fall could mean she's on the floor for days, so I want a simple trigger when something doesn't happen, like boiling the kettle in the morning.

It's nothing to do with health conditions. You asked about fall sensors, this is a proven system that provides alerts in the event of a fall. Unless your mum is boiling the kettle every hour on the hour she could still be on the floor for (up to 23) hours before an alert is generated.

To DIY it, you really need proper home automation. SmartThings (with a hub) or Home Assistant would do what you want. You could generate alerts based on multiple motion sensors being activated (or not). Motion sensor in the kitchen not triggered between 6am and 8am - alert. Bedroom sensor not triggered between 9pm and 11pm - alert. No motion sensor triggered for 2 hours - alert. That kind of thing.

[98elise]

Fore Left said:

98elise said:

Fore Left said:

Telecare is what you're looking for;

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/h...

My parents had it installed by the local council adult care services team. If a fall sensor was triggered it generated an alert to the monitoring centre.

That's way over the top for what we need! She doesn't have any health issues that need monitoring and she's still quite capable and active. She still digs her garden and is about to redecorate the whole house!

The only issue is she is at the age where a fall could mean she's on the floor for days, so I want a simple trigger when something doesn't happen, like boiling the kettle in the morning.

It's nothing to do with health conditions. You asked about fall sensors, this is a proven system that provides alerts in the event of a fall. Unless your mum is boiling the kettle every hour on the hour she could still be on the floor for (up to 23) hours before an alert is generated.

To DIY it, you really need proper home automation. SmartThings (with a hub) or Home Assistant would do what you want. You could generate alerts based on multiple motion sensors being activated (or not). Motion sensor in the kitchen not triggered between 6am and 8am - alert. Bedroom sensor not triggered between 9pm and 11pm - alert. No motion sensor triggered for 2 hours - alert. That kind of thing.

We don't need a full on system, she really isn't at that stage yet. I know from experience though that it can happen at any time after a certain age, so I want to add s a basic level of active monitoring.

I'm happy to DIY it as long as I can get a trigger from non activation of a sensor, or sensors. I've been coding for decades so the logic and programming seems very simple to me, but current home automation seems too simplistic.

If Smart Things or Home Assistant can do it I'll give that a go.

[gotoPzero]

Smartthings will smash this out of the park for you, but its going to need quite a few devices to work well so cost might be a bit high plus some testing and setting up. You could get a starter kit off ebay second hand at a decent price if you keep an eye out then some push buttons and movement sensors and a couple of door contacts and you would be able to write some routines that would be able to tell you if she is not moving around, or is moving around but at unusual times. The push buttons would be good for falls etc. One on a lanyard would be ideal. The batteries in these devices last many months to years. I change mine about once a year on average but I could probably get closer to 14-18 months out of them.

How big is the house?

[98elise]

gotoPzero said:

Smartthings will smash this out of the park for you, but its going to need quite a few devices to work well so cost might be a bit high plus some testing and setting up. You could get a starter kit off ebay second hand at a decent price if you keep an eye out then some push buttons and movement sensors and a couple of door contacts and you would be able to write some routines that would be able to tell you if she is not moving around, or is moving around but at unusual times. The push buttons would be good for falls etc. One on a lanyard would be ideal. The batteries in these devices last many months to years. I change mine about once a year on average but I could probably get closer to 14-18 months out of them.

How big is the house?

It's a fairly small house, so wouldn't take much to add sensors.

Using her kettle is the best sign she is ok. She is never without a cuppa in her hand

I'll look into smart things. TBH as a retired coder half the motivation is to play around with home automation.

[voyds9]

I was going to suggest a grandchild but noticed you also said smart

[FourWheelDrift]

Ring cameras, all the cloud based videos are stored unencrypted on their servers and every employee and 3rd party contractors have access to them also any hacked access can also view and download and share any customers Ring videos. Amazon have recently been fined $30 million in the USA for this breach of customer confidentiality. Amazon only had a employee agreement manual they had to use that requested they do not to access videos.

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/technology/a...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMuRavcHCDs