My parents are in their eighties yet remain quite independent. They still drive themselves to their appointments, mow their own lawn and enjoy a fairly active lifestyle. While it’s wonderful that they are able to remain in our childhood home, I worry about them. I try to stop by and visit every day. I either give them a call or text every evening to make sure everything is alright. For my peace of mind, I invested into an automation system for their home. Initially, they weren’t thrilled with this idea. It took a while for them to get comfortable using the system. Several times, they set off the alarm. The security company called me, and I was able to provide the code to avoid sending the police. Now that they have gotten more accustomed to the operation and features of the automation system, they love it. My dad likes the ability to adjust the thermostat by talking to it. He is constantly raising or lowering the temperature by a couple of degrees. My mother enjoys the surveillance cameras. She gets alerts on her phone whenever there is movement in the yard. She typically gets to see squirrels, turkeys, possums, raccoons, deers and the occasional fox in the lawn. She can also check to see who is pulling into the driveway or standing on the front step. I like that there is a panic button. If my mom or dad should get injured or need help for any reason, all they need to do is push that button. It gives me peace of mind.
