Smart home devices provide convenience and independence for ageing adults and people with mobility challenges to live independently at home, control their living environment, entertainment, and communicate. These devices and their associated services enable people with mobility challenges to connect with their families, turn on lights, control their TV, adjust their beds and much more. Below are some must-have devices for living independently at home.
Blog to Independence
Playing Music on your Google speaker
Jan 15, 2021 / by Anthony Micallef
If your emitto™ system came with a Google assistant-enabled speaker, such as a Nest Mini, Nest Hub or Nest Hub Max, you can use it just like any other Google assistant. This includes playing music. This guide will show you how to connect a Spotify account and Bluetooth headphones so that you can listen to your music whenever you want, completely hands-free. When you get your Google speaker, it will be connected to YouTube Music's free services by default. Without following any of the additional steps in this guide, you can simply say "Okay Google, play music" and music will start playing on your speaker. You can also specify the artist, album, or song. As you use Google to play music, it will learn your musical preferences. Then, using commands such as "Okay Google, play music" will get better at playing music you like.
Navigating and socializing with friends and loved ones using your phone, hands-free
Amid the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), we are asked to #StayHome, practice #SocialDistancing, and keep proper hygiene to slow the spread of it. Keeping ourselves inside the home, avoiding going out to public and holding gatherings could lead to increased anxiety, fear, depression and loneliness. Let’s put ourselves into the shoes of the elderly who are now living in long-term care or assisted-living facilities where visits and social activities are now reduced, life would be more difficult for them. Fortunately, there are new technologies that could enable them to socialize online with friends and family members whilst keeping themselves from touching surfaces. This article will introduce Apple’s newest Voice Control technology that allows everyone who owns an Apple smart device to navigate and use social media by voice commands. It is written in the hope of sharing with you some ideas to help the elderly reach out to their friends and family members and stay positive.