Do Home Security Systems Really do it All?
by Jessica Groach
Home Improvement Ideas Columnist
Your aging mother has a bad hip. But you can't afford a private nurse, and a nursing home is out of the question. What if her house could keep an eye on her for you?
Monitor the Home
Thanks to some forward-thinking home security companies, some system's sensors can feed data to a secure web site, where someone else can keep an eye on dear old mom. Sensors located strategically around a home send data to a web site every two hours, and a person's habits and routines are monitored. Alerts are sent to caregiver or family member cell phones or through email if those routines are varied--for instance, when a bathroom visit exceeds 60 minutes.
...and More
In advanced home security systems, sensors turn lights on automatically when you enter a room, and turn them off when you leave, or open doors automatically, which can be helpful for those in wheelchairs. If you're coming home late from work, simply call a home security alarm panel and instruct the house to close all your curtains. Gas leaks or security breaches will trigger a call to your cell phone. In the case of a fire, home security systems can turn on lights that direct you to an exit, or flash them for the hard of hearing. You can even program some of these smart home security systems to make your coffee and turn on your bedroom light in the morning. Often, a handy remote control can handle all these tasks.
It may all sound like science fiction, but many of these systems are on the market for a $200 activation fee and about $79 a month. It won’t be long before your house is smart enough to walk Fido for you too.
Sources
About the Author
Jessica Groach, a new homeowner herself, is a freelance writer and writing instructor at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her work has appeared in various lifestyle and business publications, including a Warner Business Book, and she has seven years’ experience in advertising and television production.
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