Smart Homes

Smart homes, duped up in Alexas, smart light bulbs, thermometers, and cameras, seem to be the wave of the future. These home modifications fall within the umbrella term of assistive technology, which includes technology that is assistive, adaptive, or rehabilitative for people with disabilities (Horgan, 2019). As an example, a person who uses a wheelchair would be able to adjust the heat of the thermostat by using their mobile device (rather than attempting to reach for the thermostat which is relatively high on the wall). People with disabilities, including mental illness, could also benefit on using the video conference calling features to speak with loved ones and maintain their connections outside the home (if mobility issues exist). Alternatively, community dwelling seniors could be connected with an online therapist via video conference calling , or telephone. Some new businesses that support this digital counselling model include Talk Space and Better Help.

Although I think there is immense potential for Smart Homes to improve the lives of older adults, and those people with disabilities such as mental illnesses of physical impairments, there are a select few subgroups which I am wary about. The first being, people with schizophrenia. A common paranoia is that a third party, aliens, other people, etc. were “watching” the person, or telling them what to do (Living with Schizophrenia, 2019; Saks, 2012). With so many responsive and interactive artificial intelligence devices, I’m concerned that this could be a triggering environment. Secondly, the installation of these devices is not always user-friendly which is not ideal for the older adult population. It would be ideal to have assistance with installation, but also brief, in-person training on the product to ensure it is used with confidence.

References:
Horgan, S. (2019). Special topic. Assistive technologies. [Online Module] Retrieved from https://onq.queensu.ca/d2l/le/content/321165/viewContent/1868393/View
Living with Schizophrenia. (2019, May 13). What a psychiatric hospital is like. [Video file] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mww7mFqyVA
Saks, E. (2012). A tale of mental illness – From the inside. [Video file] Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/elyn_saks_seeing_mental_illness?language=en&utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare#t-468177