Recent statistics which indicate half of all Australians have now commenced the smart home journey prove just how popular and widely accepted the technology has become.
And, make no mistake, one of the major drivers behind its popularity is the sheer practicality an intuitive smart home can offer everyday residents and those with special needs.
From busy families to people with disabilities and the elderly, smart homes can transform lives in a host of convenient ways.
Here’s an insight into the sheer practicality of the smart home…
No longer a luxury
Fifty years ago, smart homes were considered the stuff of science fiction, 20 years ago they were the domain of the affluent, but now everyday Australians are appreciating their worth.
That’s partly due to their accessibility and affordability, but also due to the convenience and practicality they offer in a time-poor world.
Smart homes bring a level of ease to everyday living, allowing residents to remove mundane, repetitive tasks and focus on the activities and lifestyle that matters to them most.
And that can have a wealth of benefits for people across all sectors of life, but particularly for those with disability or mobility issues.
For people with disabilities
Recently Brisbane-based Courier-Mail reported on a new Youngcare housing development in Queensland where smart technology was being implemented to play a central role.
The property was designed to cater to young people with high care physical needs who otherwise find themselves in institutions such as nursing homes and respite facilities.
Instead, Youngcare and Horizon Housing worked together to design and construct state of the art accommodation boasting smart home technology that allowed residents to use voice technology to take care of everyday tasks.
From opening blinds to switching on music and letting guests in through the front door, the smart home technology employed was all about facilitating practical, everyday tasks that many of us take for granted.
In the Youngcare accommodation, this technology was employed to improve quality of life and guarantee young people independence within their own living environments.
For the elderly
Just as smart technology can assist those with disabilities, it is also proving a major drawcard for many people reaching retirement age and beyond.
For retirees and downsizers, the technology caters to the “lock it, leave it” lifestyle many baby boomers are keen to embrace through advanced security features, remote home monitoring and more.
They can go on extended holidays and monitor their home in real-time using sensors, cameras and even automated routines that make it look as if someone is at home.
This smart home technology cam also help cater to their future needs, which might include reduced mobility, or sensory issues such as blindness and deafness.
Again, smart home technology works to make everyday living more practical, with features like voice activation, automatic blinds, doors and lighting, and even automated kitchens allowing downsizers, baby boomers and the aging the ability to live independently long into the future.
For family members it can offer additional peace of mind, allowing greater connectivity with the aging and better monitoring their health and wellbeing.
In many ways much of this practicality for the aging population has only just begun to showcase its potential. In the future wearable technologies, voice activation and emerging fields like virtual healthcare will further improve the lives of the elderly seeking independence.
For families
At Lera, we often talk about the sheer practicality that a smart home can offer families, courtesy of its focus on security, livability and automation.
This is proving especially valuable in an era where both parents are likely to work full time and family life is busier than ever before.
Smart homes can help simplify the busy routine with automation that lets your house take care of tasks for you whether you are at home, at work or away.
Turn the oven, heating, lighting or cooling on as you prepare to make your way home, have the garage door and driveway gate open automatically as you approach.
Enjoy security that alerts you when a threat is detected and experience front door intercoms that can let you talk to guests and let them in remotely, if required.
Or establish routines that start your morning at a set time with lights that switch on, blinds that open and smart speakers that relay your family activities for the day.
Then enjoy the peace of mind that a smart home can offer. Imagine your phone could alert you that your teen had arrived home from school, and had open and shut the front door on their way in.
All these are features that home automation can offer, providing sheer practicality and convenience in today’s busy world.
For everyone
While smart home technology might be particularly beneficial to some sectors of society, its practical benefits are not limited to only a few demographics. In reality, smart home technology can help simplify and streamline any home.
From the travelling professional who enjoys the practicality of the smart home to monitor their property security from afar to the family who utilises it to streamline their routine, and the person with care needs who harnesses its power to enjoy greater independence, smart home technology offers benefits to all.
Now it’s more accessible, more affordable and easier than ever before to install smart home technology and deploy it in your home.
About Lera Smart Home Solutions
Lera Smart Home Solutions is a leading installer of smart home technology in the greater Sydney region. Our team boasts over 20 years’ experience in IT networking, programming and the electrical industry.
We have sourced the most reliable and cost efficient solutions from around the world to provide the very best in smart home solutions, and work with our clients to understand their needs.
You can learn more about transforming your house into a smart home here, access our smart home calculators here or contact us directly for further advice.
