Best Home Automation Ideas and Technology to Help With Dementia Care

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is not a normal part of ageing, nor is it one specific disease. Dementia actually describes a collection of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, behaviour and capacity to perform daily living activities. Dementia can affect anyone, but is more common among older people and is a leading cause of disability for Australians aged 65 and over.

Thanks to improvements in health care and medical technology, the population in Australia and other parts of the world is ageing. This has led to the rates of dementia diagnoses increasing rapidly, and are predicted to become even more common in future years. Concerningly, more young people are starting to develop dementia earlier in life, creating more demand for effective management, treatment, and prevention options for this population group.

There is no guaranteed way to prevent developing dementia, however you can control certain risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Independent Living for People With Dementia

Dementia can have serious impacts on your ability to safely live independently, so many people living with dementia live in residential aged care to allow full time nursing care and supervision. However, the majority of dementia care is still provided informally by unpaid family and friends in a private home setting. Caring for a person with dementia can be rewarding and enjoyable, but also emotionally taxing and physically demanding. Fortunately, with recent advances in technology, there are ways to automate and adapt the home environment to maximise dignity and independence for persons with dementia.

Learning to live with as much independence as possible is important for people with dementia, as well as their loved ones and caregivers. Difficulty remembering things and processing information can feel frustrating and scary, so any tool that provides a greater sense of empowerment, safety and self-reliance can make a huge difference to quality of life. There is no reason for people with dementia to miss out on all the joys life has to offer, particularly with so many clever, accessible technological solutions available that can help you support your loved one to participate fully in their daily life.

Assistive Technology for Dementia Care

In Australia, the term ‘assistive technology’ is defined as “any item, piece of equipment, product or system, whether acquired commercially, off-the-shelf, modified or customised, … used to increase, maintain or improve [the] functional capabilities of individuals with cognitive, physical or communication disabilities’. Whilst there are plenty of providers of specialist disability adaptive equipment, anything that you use to make life easier can be considered an assistive technology.

This can be as simple as setting calendar reminders or alarms on your phone to do important tasks, or setting up your medication in a blister pack or labeled pill packets to help organise and track medication management. Other everyday technologies, like iPads, tablets, and smartphones also have plenty of useful apps and functions that can help improve the independence and quality of life for someone living with dementia.

Devices such as talking alarms or wristwatches can help track time, enabling people living with dementia to manage medical appointments, social commitments or their medication regime. People with dementia can sometimes experience vision loss, in which case useful tools may include magnifiers, tactile labels, and audio labels that you can program to read their contents aloud.

These simple tools can support your loved one to engage in tasks like preparing food, identifying the correct medication, or reading a newspaper more independently and comfortably. 

Managing Medication

People living with dementia often require one or several medications on a daily basis. Particularly when living at home, any tool that can facilitate independent medication management can create a sense of empowerment, whilst alleviating some responsibility from carers.

Clever devices like electronic medication reminders can store and organise medication, and give alarms or reminders when they need to be taken. For a non-technological solution, most pharmacies are happy to deliver medications in labeled, organised pill boxes to make it easier to administer medication at home or on the go.

Incorrect or inconsistent use of medication is a significant risk factor for people living with dementia, contributing to poorer recovery and increased risk of hospitalisations, so tools that automate or simplify medication management can be a huge help for their wellbeing and your peace of mind.

Smartphone Applications and Devices

Security Cameras and Systems

When providing care for a person with dementia in their home, you want to rest assured that they are safe and secure when you are not present . Security systems, alarms and CCTV systems can be set up to send images and livestream video to your smartphone, so you can always easily check that your loved one is well and safe from harm. There are plenty of options on the market, so take your time considering the right solution for you and your loved one. Assistive Technology Australia is a peak body that can provide useful advice and guidance when selecting any kind of adaptive equipment to make supporting your loved one easier and safer.

The Dementia Friendly Home App

Dementia Australia have launched their innovative Dementia-Friendly Home application available for tablets and smartphones for just $2.99 via the App Store or Google Play. The app, designed in partnership with the Deakin Software and Technology Innovation Laboratory (DSTIL) with support from the Commonwealth and state governments, uses 3D game technology to assess the home environment and make tailored suggestions to make the home more accessible and safe. The recommendations vary from small, easy to implement adjustments, to higher investment and more advanced modifications. 

Smart Lighting, Heating and Cooling

Maintaining a safe, healthy and comfortable home environment is important for ensuring the wellbeing of your loved one. Automatic interior lighting turns on and off within the home to help dementia patients’ orientation and ability to move safely within the home, whilst sensor security lights outside the home can enable safely moving around outdoor areas, as well as deterring potential crimes.

Lighting is important, and can even play a therapeutic role. Many people with dementia experience sleep disruptions which can reduce quality of life and exacerbate dementia symptoms. Some emerging evidence suggests that blue-white light therapy can improve sleep quality by helping stimulate your internal circadian rhythm. Caregivers also often experience difficulty sleeping as a result of the stress of their caring role, so tools like portable light therapy boxes can be a worthwhile investment for both you and your loved one. 

Maintaining a comfortable and safe temperature within the home can also be automated, using pre-programmed, remotely controlled smart heating and cooling, to ensure a cool home during summer and warmth throughout the winter.

Automating Personal Care

Bathing, dressing and using the bathroom are intimate, personal acts, which  most people would prefer to do as independently as possible. Unfortunately, bathrooms can be hazardous environments for people with dementia, particularly if they experience mobility issues or disorientation, as they are often slippery, reflective and wet areas of the home.

Personal care tasks like bathing a loved one can also be physically demanding and dangerous for caregivers, especially if they have not received formal training in transporting people safely. Our dedicated support workers can help by providing quality nursing care in the home. That said, you may also wish to invest in devices to automate some daily personal care tasks.

Smart Toilets

Smart toilets are a perfect example of technology that, whilst not designed with dementia care in mind, can transform the way people with dementia live and age in place at home. Smart toilets have intuitive features like voice prompts and automated hygiene functions, as well as the option to track medical indicators like urine sugar, blood pressure and body fat percentage.

Smart toilets have the potential to not only protect safety, hygiene, and dignity, but can facilitate more effective and timely medical care for a range of conditions. Whilst they are becoming more mainstream, smart toilets are still at a high price point, but simpler, low-cost options are available which can also help people with dementia safely access their bathroom at home. Simple continence aids like toilet surrounds, over-toilet aids or continence pads are useful in instances where dementia affects the person’s continence.

Showers, bathtubs and faucets can also be adapted to reduce risk of burns by regulating temperature, or making them easier to use by changing the tap to a more user friendly interface. Grab rails, high contrast colour schemes, and anti-slip mats are other easily accessible, simple tools that can reduce the risk of injury for your loved one.

Mobility aids and equipment are available at a huge range of different providers, so you may wish to reach out to your health care team for guidance. Some people living with dementia in Australia may also be eligible for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding, which may be used to help fund certain adaptive equipment and aids from NDIS registered providers.

Safety Alarms

Receiving dementia care in your own home is comforting and empowering, however it does pose the risk of an emergency taking place when carers are not present. Medical alarms can be used to alert carers and emergency services to events like falls or seizures, and can be programmed to automatically send an SMS and GPS location to loved ones.

These alarms include features like audio reminders to charge the device, and built in weather or news notifications to keep your loved one informed. Smart smoke and Co2 alarms can also be installed and programmed to alert you to environmental hazards and notify carers or emergency services if required.

These products are offered by many different manufacturers, so consider seeking advice from organisations that can give advice regarding what products will best support you and your loved one.

Smart Homes and Integrated Technology

Technology has come a long way, creating great opportunities to empower people with disabilities, including dementia, to live their life actively, safely and independently. Off the shelf options, including voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home or Nest are accessible, mainstream devices that can greatly improve quality of life.

Being able to ask these assistants for information such as the date, time, or weather forecast can provide reassurance and comfort to someone living with dementia. These devices provide the additional benefit of allowing someone who struggles with memory to ask the same question several times without the respondent becoming impatient, whilst continuing to receive the correct answer. 

For a high investment, more integrated solution, the introduction of smart homes has been transformative for many older Australians and people who live with disability. These solutions are usually custom-built for the individual’s home environment, cognitive abilities and preferences, and involve the integrated use of internet-equipped devices like smartphones and tablets, smart televisions, and specialist home automation systems.

Functions of a smart home can include automatic door bells, automated blinds or shutter operation, automatic shower and toilet function, mobility support and security systems. Different suppliers and manufacturers in your area will likely have different packages and products on offer, so don’t be afraid to shop around or ask for support in making the best choice for you and your loved one.

Entering and Exiting The Home

Facial recognition locks, fingerprint door locking systems, and other automated ways to enter and exit the home can be a huge help to people living with dementia, who may be prone to misplacing keys or forgetting entry passcodes.

Front door cameras and remote entry control can also improve the safety and security of people managing their dementia at home, whilst enabling greater social interaction and autonomy and preventing loneliness or social isolation.

GPS Trackers and Wearable Technology

Getting out and about safely can be difficult for people who experience difficulty with remembering and processing thoughts. Wandering or absconding is common in people living with dementia, and whilst it provides a sense of freedom as well as facilitating physical exercise, navigation skills can be impaired in people with dementia, posing a risk of getting lost or hurt.

Tools like Fitbits, Google watches and other wearable devices are easily accessible in Australia and can utilise GPS tracking to enable you to locate your loved one in the case of an emergency.

Specialist devices like SOS bracelets can also provide peace of mind, as they are programmed to send for medical assistance when required, and can store important medical and contact information to enable bystanders to assist in the event of a fall or health incident. 

Communication and Companionship Tools

People living with dementia have all the same needs and instincts as anyone else, including the need for intimacy and love, and the desire to care for others. No longer being able to fulfil previous life roles such as parent or grandparent or guardian can be upsetting and the transition to receiving care on a daily basis can damage self-esteem and confidence.

Companionship from carers, friends and family are wonderful, but often not available around the clock. Technological devices for companionship can include dolls and mechanised pets, which offer regular interaction and a sense of purpose for a person living with dementia. Caring for lifelike baby dolls and puppies can be comforting and reassuring, and provide a connection to their life prior to dementia, including reliving past caring roles. These toys can be purchased at reasonable costs from toy stores in your area, however disability-specific companion toys can also be purchased from retailers such as the Dementia Shop.

Communicating effectively with the people around us is essential for our wellbeing. Alzheimer’s Western Australia has created a simple, technology-free Communicaid system that helps people with difficulties expressing themselves with speech to communicate basic messages to carers, friends and family. This low-cost, portable tool can be customised with phrases and terms that your loved one uses regularly, to enable them to express their needs, thoughts and opinions with anyone they come across, and is available online with Australia-wide shipping.

Supporting You to Support Your Loved One

Caring for a friend or family member who lives with dementia is not easy. The physical demands and emotional strain of caregiving, combined with the overwhelming amount of treatment and management options can take a serious toll on your own health, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help and guidance. Peak bodies like Dementia Australia can give advice on home automation and adaptive equipment suppliers where you live, provide advice on funding options, and link you and your loved one to support groups in your area.

Homage is also ready and willing to help however we can. Our professional, compassionate Support Workers are expertly trained to provide the highest quality dementia care in the home, so don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our friendly Care Advisors today.