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Slow the aging process by lengthening your telomeres

Telomeres, the tiny units of DNA at the very end of each chromosome, shorten over time because they cannot fully replicate each time the cell divides. Hence, as you get older, your telomeres get shorter and shorter. But a growing body of research is showing that certain nutrients play a huge role in protecting, or even increasing, telomere length, thereby affecting longevity.
12 key nutrients known to positively affect telomere length and promote longevity are reviewed.
Two additional lifestyle factors—exercise, and intermittent fasting—are also discussed, as they too can help protect against telomere shortening.

By Dr. Mercola

Nutritionists have long been interested in the dynamics of telomere length in the body, and how telomeres figure in to human health and life expectancy. Telomeres were first discovered in 1973 by Alexey Olovnikov.

He found that the tiny units of DNA at the very end of each chromosome—the telomere—shorten with time because they cannot replicate completely each time the cell divides and they may be the most powerful biological clock that has yet to be identified.

Hence, as you get older, your telomeres get shorter and shorter. Eventually, DNA replication and cell division ceases completely, at which point you die. However, a growing body of research is showing that certain nutrients play a huge role in protecting telomere length; greatly affecting how long you live.

One Way Nutrition Affects Longevity

For example, in one recent studyⁱ, scientists found that the B vitamin folate plays an important part in maintenance of DNA integrity and DNA methylation, which in turn influences telomere length.

Researchers also found that women who use vitamin B12 supplements have longer telomeres than those who don’t. Vitamin D3, zinc, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins C and E also influence telomere length. This supports the findings of an earlier study from 2009, which provided the first epidemiologic evidence that the use of multivitamins by women is associated with longer telomeres.ⁱⁱAccording to the authors:

“Compared with nonusers, the relative telomere length of leukocyte DNA was on average 5.1% longer among daily multivitamin users. In the analysis of micronutrients, higher intakes of vitamins C and E from foods were each associated with longer telomeres, even after adjustment for multivitamin use.”

The mechanism by which nutrients appear to affect telomere length is by influencing the activity of telomerase, an enzyme that adds the telomeric repeats to the ends of your DNA. Thousands of studies have been published on telomerase, and they are well-known to maintain genomic stability, prevent the inappropriate activation of DNA damage pathways, and regulate cellular aging.

In 1984, Elizabeth Blackburn PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF, discovered that the enzyme telomerase actually has the ability to lengthen the telomere by synthesizing DNA from an RNA primer. She, along with Carol Greider and Jack Szostak were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 “for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.”

The Science of Growing Younger

I believe the science of telomeres offers the most exciting and viable possibility for extreme life extension—the kind of anti-aging strategy that can actually allow you to regenerate and in effect “grow younger.” Naturally, researchers are hard at work devising pharmaceutical strategies to accomplish this, but there’s solid evidence that simple lifestyle strategies and nutritional intervention can do this too. This is great news, as short telomeres are a risk factor not just for death itself, but for many diseases as well.

For example, telomere shortening has been linked to the diseases listed below. But animal studies have also shown that these types of health problems can be reversed by restoring telomerase functioning:

Decreased immune response against infections Type 2 diabetes Atherosclerotic lesions

Neurodegenerative diseases Testicular, splenic, intestinal atrophy DNA damage

Top 12 Key Nutrients for Life Extension

The featured study found the following nutrients to have a beneficial impact on telomere length:

Vitamin B12 Zinc Vitamin D

Omega-3 Vitamin C Vitamin E

Below, I will review a few of those, plus several additional recommendations for what I believe are among the most important nutrients to maintain and promote telomere lengthening.

Naturally, any attempt at a list like this is bound to fail to some degree as we really need a balance of a wide variety of nutrients. However, I believe it’s possible to make some general recommendations based on the fact that most people are sorely deficient in many of these key nutrients that we know are important for optimal health. Others, such as astaxanthin and curcumin, just have such robust scientific support that it would seem foolish to ignore them when the benefits are so profound. With that said, here are my recommendations for the top 12 anti-aging nutrients, followed by two bonus strategies that do not involve taking supplements that can also help radically increase your lifespan by protecting your telomeres.

I have listed the 12 nutrients below in the order that I believe they have in importance. I personally take the first six every day but the vitamin D is through sun exposure, not through an oral supplement.

1. Vitamin D

In one study of more than 2,000 women, those with higher vitamin D levels were found to have fewer aging-related changes in their DNA, as well as lowered inflammatory responsesⁱⁱⁱ. Women with higher levels of vitamin D are more likely to have longer telomeres, and vice versa. This means that people with higher levels of vitamin D may actually age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D.

Your leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a predictor for aging related diseases. As you age, your LTL’s become shorter, but, if you suffer from chronic inflammation, your telomeres decrease in length much faster, because your body’s inflammatory response accelerates leukocyte turnover. Your vitamin D concentrations also decrease with age, whereas your C-reactive protein (a mediator of inflammation) increases. This inverse double-whammy increases your overall risk of developing autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The good news is that vitamin D is a potent inhibitor of your body’s inflammatory response, and by reducing inflammation, you diminish your turnover of leukocytes, effectively creating a positive chain reaction that can help protect you against a variety of diseases. In essence, it protects your body from the deterioration of aging. Researchers have found that subsets of leukocytes have receptors for the active form of vitamin D (D3), which allows the vitamin to have a direct effect on these cells. This may also explain the specific connection between vitamin D and autoimmune disease.

The absolute best way to optimize your vitamin D levels would be through safe sun exposure. I am fully aware that many will not be able to implement this recommendation due to lifestyle constraints, but I feel I would be reprehensibly negligent if I did not emphasize how superior photo vitamin D is compared to oral. So for those who are able to, I have provided the following video that helps you find the times exposing your skin to the sun will actually produce vitamin D in your location.

2. Astaxanthin (derived from the microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis)

In the 2009 study on multivitamin use and telomere length, longer telomeres were also associated with the use of antioxidant formulas^iv. According to the authors, telomeres are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Additionally, inflammation induces oxidative stress and lowers the activity of telomerase (again, that’s the enzyme responsible for maintaining your telomeres).

Astaxanthin has emerged as one of the most potent and beneficial antioxidants currently known, with potent anti-inflammatory and DNA-protective capabilities. Research has even shown that it can protect against DNA damage induced by gamma radiation^v. It has a number of unique features that make it stand out from the crowd.

For example, it is by far the most powerful carotenoid antioxidant when it comes to free radical scavenging: astaxanthin is 65 times more powerful than vitamin C, 54 times more powerful than beta-carotene, and 14 times more powerful than vitamin E^vi. It’s also far more effective than other carotenoids at “singlet oxygen quenching,” which is a particular type of oxidation. It is 550 times more powerful than vitamin E, and 11 times more powerful than beta-carotene at neutralizing singlet oxygen.

Astaxanthin crosses both your blood-brain barrier AND your blood-retinal barrier (beta carotene and lycopene do not), which brings antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection to your eyes, brain and central nervous system.

Another feature that separates astaxanthin from other carotenoids is that it cannot function as a pro-oxidant. Many antioxidants will act as pro-oxidants (meaning they start to cause rather than combat oxidation) when present in your tissues in sufficient concentrations. This is why you don’t want to go overboard taking too many antioxidant supplements like beta-carotene, for example. Astaxanthin, on the other hand, does not function as a pro-oxidant, even when present in high amounts, which makes it highly beneficial.

Lastly, one of its most profound features is its unique ability to protect the entire cell from damage—both the water-soluble part and the fat-soluble portion of the cell. Other antioxidants affect just one or the other. This is due to astaxanthin’s unique physical characteristics that allow it to reside within the cell membrane will also protecting the inside of the cell. To learn more about astaxanthin, please listen to the following interview with Dr. Robert Corish.

3. Ubiquinol (CoQ10)

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is the fifth most popular supplement in the United States, taken by about 53 percent of Americans, according to a 2010 survey by ConsumerLab.com^vii. This is a good thing as one in every four Americans over 45 is taking a statin and every single one of these individuals needs to be taking it.

CoQ10 is used by every cell in your body. In fact, it is so important for your body’s daily functions that it is also known as “ubiquinone” because it’s ‘ubiquitous’ in the human body.

What you may not know, however, is that to benefit from the form of the nutrient needed to produce cellular energy and help you reduce the typical signs of aging, your body must convert the ubiquinone to the reduced form, called ubiquinol — and research is showing that this reduced form may actually be superior for your health in a number of ways. If you’re under 25 years old your body is capable of converting CoQ10 from the oxidized to the reduced form. However, if you’re older, your body becomes more and more challenged to convert the oxidized CoQ10 to ubiquinol.

Premature aging is one primary side effect of having too little CoQ10 because this essential vitamin recycles other antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E. CoQ10 deficiency also accelerates DNA damage, and because CoQ10 is beneficial to heart health and muscle function this depletion leads to fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and eventually heart failure.

In a previous interview with Dr. Stephen Sinatra, he recounts an experiment from the mid-90’s on aging rats. The average lifespan of a rat is two years. Rats given CoQ10, at the end of their life, had more energy, better coats, and better appetites, compared to the rats that did not get CoQ10. The supplement basically had a potent anti-aging effect, in the sense it maintained youthfulness until the very end of their life. In terms of life extension, the effect was minimal.

Dr. Sinatra also conducted his own research and found that CoQ10 given to both younger and older mice resulted in increased energy and vigor. Older mice traveled through mazes quicker, they had better memory, and had more locomotor activity than those who did not get CoQ10. So CoQ10 definitely appears to improve the quality of life, even if it may not significantly increase longevity per say. For more information and dosage recommendations, please see this previous CoQ10 article.

4. Fermented Foods / Probiotics

It’s quite clear that eating a diet consisting of high amounts of processed foods will shorten your life, yet 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed food, and the number one source of calories in the US comes from high fructose corn syrup – a staple ingredient in nearly all processed foods, from frozen dinners, to condiments, snacks, and soda. Researchers have even discovered that genetic mutations and malfunctions that cause disease are created in future generations when highly processed and artificial foods are consumed!

Part of the problem is that these processed, sugar- and chemical-laden foods effectively destroy your intestinal microflora. Your gut flora has incredible power over your immune system, which, of course, is your body’s natural defense system. Antibiotics, stress, artificial sweeteners, chlorinated water and many other factors can also reduce the amount of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) in your gut, which can predispose you to illness and premature aging. Ideally, you’ll want to make traditionally cultured and fermented foods a staple in your daily diet.

You can use a probiotic supplement, but getting your probiotics from food is definitely better as you can consume far more beneficial bacteria, in many cases up to 100X more. Fermented vegetables are an excellent alternative as they are both delicious and simple to make. In the following video, Caroline Barringer discusses the process of fermenting your own vegetables in some detail, so if you’re up for fermenting some of your own foods, please listen to this interview.

5. Krill Oil

According to Dr. William Harris, an expert on omega-3 fats, those who have an omega-3 index of less than four percent age much faster than those with indexes above eight percent. Therefore, your omega-3 index may also be an effective marker of your rate of aging. According to Dr. Harris’ research, omega-3 fats appear to play a role in activating telomerase, which, again, has been shown to be able to actually reverse telomere shortening.

Although this research is preliminary, I would suggest that optimizing your omega-3 levels above eight percent would be a good strategy if you’re interested in delaying aging. (Your doctor can order the omega-3 index test from a lab called Health Diagnostic Laboratory in Richmond, Virginia.) After all, you have nothing to lose and a lot to gain by doing so, since omega-3 has proven to be extremely important for your health in so many respects.

My favorite animal-based omega-3 is krill oil, as it has a number of benefits not found in other omega-3 supplements such as fish oil. Aside from higher potential for contamination, fish oil supplements also have a higher risk of suffering oxidation damage and becoming rancid. Dr. Rudi Moerck has discussed these risks at great length in a previous interview. Krill oil also contains naturally-occurring astaxanthin, which makes it nearly 200 times more resistant to oxidative damage compared to fish oil.

Additionally, according to Dr. Harris’ research, krill oil is also more potent gram for gram, as its absorption rate is much higher than fish oil. You get somewhere between 25 to 50 percent more omega-3 per milligram when you take krill oil compared to fish oil, hence you don’t need to take as much.

6. Vitamin K2

Vitamin K may very well be “the next vitamin D” as research continues to illuminate a growing number of benefits to your health. While most people get enough vitamin K from their diets to maintain adequate blood clotting, they’re NOT enough to offer protection against more serious health problems. For example, research over the past few years suggest that vitamin K2 can provide substantial protection from prostate cancer^viii, which is one of the leading causes of cancer among men in the United States. And research results are similarly encouraging for the benefits of vitamin K to your cardiac health:

In 2004, the Rotterdam Study, which was the first study demonstrating the beneficial effect of vitamin K2, showed that people who consume 45 mcg of K2 daily live seven years longer than people getting 12 mcg per day^ix.

In a subsequent study called the Prospect Study^x, 16,000 people were followed for 10 years. Researchers found that each additional 10 mcg of K2 in the diet results in 9 percent fewer cardiac events.

K2 is present in fermented foods, particularly cheese and the Japanese food natto, which is by far the richest source of K2.

7. Magnesium

According to the featured research^xi, magnesium also plays an important role in DNA replication, repair, and RNA synthesis, and dietary magnesium has been shown to positively correlate with increased telomere length in women. Other research has shown that long term deficiency leads to telomere shortening in rats and cell cultures. It appears the lack of magnesium ions has a negative influence on genome integrity. Insufficient amounts of magnesium also reduce your body’s ability to repair damaged DNA, and can induce chromosomal abnormalities. According to the authors, it’s reasonable to hypothesize that “magnesium influences telomere length by affecting DNA integrity and repair, in addition to its potential role in oxidative stress and inflammation.”

8. Polyphenols

Polyphenols are potent antioxidant compounds in plant foods, many of which have been linked to anti-aging benefits and disease reduction. Here are but a few examples of these potent antioxidant compounds:

Grapes (resveratrol) — Resveratrol deeply penetrates the center of your cell’s nucleus, giving your DNA time to repair free radical damage. Research dating back to 2003 showed that resveratrol, a powerful polyphenol and anti-fungal chemical, was able to increase the lifespan of yeast cells.^xii

The findings showed that resveratrol could activate a gene called sirtuin1, which is also activated during calorie restriction in various species. Since then studies in nematode worms, fruit flies, fish, mice, and human cells have linked resveratrol to longer lives.

Resveratrol is found in grapes, and there are numerous products on the market containing resveratrol. I recommend looking for one made from Muscadine grapes, and that uses WHOLE grape skins and seeds, as this is where many of the benefits are concentrated.

Cacao — Quite a few studies have confirmed the potent antioxidant properties, and subsequent health benefits, of raw cocoa powder. Dark, organic, unprocessed chocolate has been found to benefit your glucose metabolism (diabetic control), blood pressure, and cardiovascular health.

Green tea — Polyphenols in tea, which include EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) and many others, have been found to offer protection against many types of cancer. The polyphenols in green tea may constitute up to 30 percent of the dry leaf weight, so, when you drink a cup of green tea, you’re drinking a fairly potent solution of healthy tea polyphenols.

Green tea is the least processed kind of tea, so it also contains the highest amounts of EGCG of all tea varieties. Keep in mind, however, that many green teas have been oxidized, and this process may take away many of its valuable properties. The easiest sign to look for when evaluating a green tea’s quality is its color: if your green tea is brown rather than green, it’s likely been oxidized.

My personal favorite is matcha green tea because it contains the entire ground tea leaf, and can contain over 100 times the EGCG provided from regular brewed green tea.

9. Folate (aka Vitamin B9, or Folic Acid)

According to the featured study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, plasma concentrations of the B vitamin folate correspond to telomere length in both men and women. Folate plays an important role in the maintenance of DNA integrity and DNA methylation, both of which influence the length of your telomeres^xiii.

It is useful for preventing depression, seizure disorders and brain atrophy. In fact, folate deficiency can lead to elevated homocysteine levels, which can be a major contributor to heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. One unfortunate and preventable reason why some believe folate numbers are slipping is the increased prevalence of obesity, which negatively affects the way most people metabolize this important vitamin. The ideal way to raise your folate levels is to eat plenty of fresh, raw, organic leafy green vegetables, and beans.

Please note that it is the natural folate from food that has been found to be beneficial. This may not be true for the supplement folic acid.

10. Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is fittingly known as “the energy vitamin,” and your body requires it for a number of vital functions. Among them: energy production, blood formation, DNA synthesis, and myelin formation. (Myelin is insulation that protects your nerve endings and allows them to communicate with one another.) Unfortunately, research suggests about 25 percent of American adults are deficient in this vitally important nutrient, and nearly half the population has suboptimal blood levels.

Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal tissues, including foods like beef and beef liver, lamb, snapper, venison, salmon, shrimp, scallops, poultry and eggs. It’s not readily available in plants, so if you do not eat meat or animal products you are at risk of deficiency. The few plant foods that are sources of B12 are actually B12 analogs. An analog is a substance that blocks the uptake of true B12, so your body’s need for the nutrient actually increases.

If you aren’t getting sufficient B12 in your diet, I recommend you begin supplementation immediately with this vital nutrient with either an under-the-tongue fine mist spray or vitamin B12 injections. Ensuring your body has adequate B12 can vastly improve the quality of your life and prevent debilitating, even life-threatening diseases which result from a deficiency of this all-important nutrient.

11. Curcumin (Turmeric)

Curcumin — the active ingredient in the spice turmeric—acts both as an immune booster and potent anti-inflammatory. But perhaps its greatest value lies in its anti-cancer potential, and it has the most evidence based literature backing up its anti-cancer claims of any other nutrient. It affects over 100 different pathways once it gets into a cell—among them, a key biological pathway needed for development of melanoma and other cancers.

The spice actually stops laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating and pushes the cancer cells to commit suicide by shutting down nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB), a powerful protein known to induce abnormal inflammatory response that leads to an assortment of disorders such as arthritis and cancer.

To get the full benefits that curcumin has to offer, you will want to look for a turmeric extract with at least 95 percent curcuminoids that contains only 100 percent certified organic ingredients. The formula should be free of fillers, additives and excipients (a substance added to the supplement as a processing or stability aid), and the manufacturer should use safe production practices at all stages: planting, cultivation, selective harvesting, and then producing and packaging the final product. This previous article can provide you further details on how to use curcumin.

12. Vitamin A

According to the featured study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, telomere length is positively associated with dietary intake of vitamin A in women who do not take multivitamins^xiv. It plays an important role in your immune response, and if you’re deficient, you become predisposed to infections that can promote telomere shortening. However, vitamin A does not appear to have a dose-dependent effect on telomere length, so you don’t need high amounts.

Two Additional Lifestyle Strategies that Affect Telomere Length

While a nutritious diet accounts for about 80 percent of the benefits derived from a healthy lifestyle, exercise cannot be ignored, and there’s evidence suggesting that exercise protects against telomere shortening as well. Yet another lifestyle strategy that can have a beneficial impact is intermittent fasting.

Exercise — One recent study on post-menopausal women suffering from chronic stress found that “vigorous physical activity appears to protect those experiencing high stress by buffering its relationship with telomere length (TL).”^xv In fact, among the women who did not exercise, each unit increase in the Perceived Stress Scale was related to a 15-fold increase in the odds of having short telomeres. Those who did exercise regularly showed no correlation between telomere length and perceived stress!

High-intensity exercise appears to be the most effective all-natural approach to slow down the aging process by reducing telomere shortening. In fact, research has shown there’s a direct association between reduced telomere shortening in your later years and high-intensity-type exercises^xvi: Greta Blackburn’s book The Immortality Edge: Realize the Secrets of Your Telomeres for a Longer, Healthier Life^xvii further details the importance of high-intensity exercise to prevent telomere shortening.

Intermittent Fasting — Previous research has shown that you can extend your lifespan by reducing your caloric intake, and I’ve written about this technique in the past. The problem is that most people do not understand how to properly cut calories, because in order to remain healthy, you have to cut out the right kind of calories—namely carbohydrates. Research by Professor Cynthia Kenyon has shown that avoiding carbs will activate genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.

But the health benefits of calorie restriction can also be achieved by intermittent fasting (keep in mind you still need to cut out sugars and grains). For more detailed recommendations and guidance on intermittent fasting, or scheduled eating, please see this recent article that greatly expands on this complex topic, and highlights the precautions, as it certainly isn’t for everyone.

I recommend the following supplements influence our gene expression toward health and wellness.

To order at this site, enter Distributorship ID #: USW9578356:

https://www.nuskin.com/content/nuskin/en_US/products/shop/adr/adr_packages/youth.html

To your health and well being, Connie email motherhealth@gmail.com for health coaching and to join us at the Health Care Network Alliance.

Shampoo ingredients causing nerve damage

10 Commonly Used Chemicals in Shampoos

Diethanolamine (DEA)
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)
Propylene Glycol.
Benzalkonium Chloride and Benzethonium Chloride.
Formaldehyde.
Cocamidopropyl Betaine- (CAPB)
Methylchloroisothiazolinone – MIT

These hazardous chemicals are listed in the RTECS database of toxicity and even considered a toxic waste chemical by the EPA.

New Study Discovers ‘Killer Peptide’ That Helps Eliminate Resistant Cancer Cells

UK’s Vivek Rangnekar, left, and Ravshan Burikhanov. Source: University of Kentucky

A new study by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers shows that when therapy-sensitive cancer cells die, they release a “killer peptide” that can eliminate therapy-resistant cells.

Tumor relapse is a common problem following cancer treatment, because primary tumor cells often contain therapy-resistance cancer cells that continue to proliferate after the therapy-sensitive cells have been eliminated.

In the new study, published in Cancer Research, Markey scientists identified a Par-4 amino-terminal fragment (PAF) that is released by diverse therapy-sensitive cancer cells following therapy-induced cleavage of the tumor suppressor Par-4 protein. PAF caused death in cancer cells resistant to therapy and inhibited metastatic tumor growth in mice. Additionally, the PAF entered only cancer cells, not normal cells, keeping healthy tissue intact.

The findings indicate that this naturally generated PAF could potentially be harnessed to target neighboring or distant cancer cells to overcome metastasis and therapy resistance in tumors.

“This new information could positively impact how physicians plan their treatments, so as to use the sensitive cells in the tumor to release this peptide to help eliminate the resistant cells,” said Vivek Rangnekar, principal investigator and Alfred Cohen Chair in Oncology Research with the UK College of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Medicine. “We are developing PAF against therapy-resistant tumor metastasis for which no other treatment options are available.”

Markey researchers Nikhil Hebbar and Ravshan Burikhanov from Rangnekar’s team were the first two authors on the study, which also involved a partnership with Dr. Kojo Elenitoba-Johnson at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rangnekar’s team first announced the generation of the cancer-resistant Par-4 mouse back in 2007. Since then, his team’s work has spawned numerous research projects focusing on preventing and treating many types of cancer, including Markey oncologist Dr. Peng Wang’s clinical trial using the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to induce Par-4 secretion.

Smart Home accommodations for seniors and special needs

Implementing smart home solutions

Imagine this scenario: You come home from work and your front door, sensing your presence, automatically unlocks for you. You walk in, carrying bags of groceries, and as you enter the kitchen, the lights turn themselves on. You put your groceries away and realizing that you forgot an item, you send a request to your grocery store for a delivery using a touchscreen built right into the refrigerator. You settle down in the living room to watch television. Sensing that you’re slightly chilly from information gathered from your smart watch, the thermostat automatically increases the temperature of your home to keep you comfortable. You go to bed at 10:30, like always, and as you pull the covers up over your head, your bedroom lights automatically dim. If you listen carefully, you can hear the click of your doors automatically locking for the night.

Does this scenario sound like a scene from a futuristic sci-fi movie? Believe it or not, the technology described above already exists, and can be retrofitted into almost any home in America with the expertise of the right contractor or solution provider. Across the country, individuals are implementing such smart home solutions to lead more comfortable and convenient lives. Not only accessible to the mega-rich, a self-adjusting thermostat, or a security system that can be controlled from your mobile phone, are now budget-friendly additions that nearly anyone can have.

Perhaps some of the greatest opportunities that smart home technology offers are for the elderly and the disabled, for whom living at home can pose daily struggles. Thanks to smart home technology, seniors and disabled adults are able to live in their own homes with less fear or restriction, giving them a sense of freedom and confidence they have been missing for years.

Struggles with home living

This guide was designed to provide a thorough understanding of the latest smart home technology, and suggestions for specific software and devices that can be incorporated into a home to accommodate each of seven of the most common types of disabilities: hearing difficulty, vision difficulty, speech/language difficulty, cognitive difficulty or memory loss, ambulatory difficult, arthritis, and self-care/independent living difficulty.

If you or a loved one struggle with daily home living due to a disability, this guide will offer inspiration and actionable advice for opportunities to make your home life more comfortable and convenient through use of the latest smart home technology. To help you plan, no matter your financial situation, we’ve indicated for each product if the solution will accommodate a low ($), moderate ($$), or high smart home budget ($$$).

What is a Smart Home, and How Does It Work?

The term smart home covers a wide range of home-based technology that is integrated between devices using an Internet connection. From the home dweller’s perspective, a smart home provides comfort, security, safety, accessibility, energy efficiency, and convenience through the use of appliances, lighting, electronic equipment, heating and cooling systems, entertainment systems, and home security solutions. In a smart home, all such devices can be controlled remotely by any desktop computer or mobile device with Internet access, or preset using a pre-defined preferential schedule. They can even be customized on a room-by-room basis. Many smart home solutions can also accept voice commands for the ultimate in-home convenience.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

Smart homes are becoming a large component of a digital phenomenon known as the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT refers to all those devices that are interconnected and identifiable to one another through digital networks. Think of your smart watch talking to your home security system via the Internet. As technology continues to advance, it’s predicted that such interconnectivity will become the norm, and will continue to be a necessity for individuals who struggle with daily home-related activities due to age or disability.

The Genesis of Home Device Interconnectivity

Believe it or not, the catalyst for smart home technology preceded the twenty first century. It all began in 1975 when a Scottish company developed a product known as X10. X10 allowed compatible products to “talk” to one another using a home’s electrical system. The X10 allowed for such conveniences as turning off a lamp in the bedroom while seated in the living room. Though using what we would today consider a primitive technology system, fundamentally the X10 aimed to deliver many of the conveniences smart home technology companies aim for today.

Why are Smart Home Features Gaining in Popularity?

At one time, smart homes and smart home devices were thought to be only obtainable by the wealthy, and only desirable by the tech-savvy, such as Bill Gates who spent over $100 million building his smart home outside Seattle, Washington. Aside from interest in smart home features purely for the cool-factor that they offer digital-trend setters, smart home technology is gaining in popularity among those who want to optimize their home to ensure safety, energy efficiency or leverage technology to overcome the hurdles of home-living in the face of a disability.

Another reason smart home device use is on the rise, is due to the proliferation of new, interconnected technology. Some of the most advanced technology companies are finding ways to connect such everyday devices as thermostats and stereo systems to the IoTs. Such availability of products is making it affordable and convenient for the average home owner, or the special needs home owner, to bring smart technology into their home.

Smart Home Advancements

For many years, the pinnacle of smart home innovation was Bill Gates’ $100 million creation. At Gates’ smart home, everyone is pinned with an electronic tracking chip. As one travels through the home, lights turn on ahead of you, and fade as you leave a room behind. Your favorite music, or the television show you’re watching, will follow you from room to room. Perhaps most impressively, if two individuals enter the same room, the smart system will attempt to compromise on settings it believes both occupants will enjoy.

While Gates’ home may have paved the way for smart home innovation, advancements in smart home technology are being made annually. According to Kigo, a vacation rental software company, 10 percent of U.S. broadband households intend to purchase a smart thermostat in the next year. Even more impressive? Kigo advises that global smart home connected appliances are expected to reach 223 million units by 2020. While smart home technology used to be the focus of only techy start-ups, it is now being adopted by more established entities, such as Amazon, that launched “Alexa,” its intelligent personal assistant smart home device in 2014 that integrates with its Echo smart speaker. What follows are some of the key milestones in modern smart home innovation. Click here to view a full interactive smart home timeline from Mashable:

1975 – ¬X10 is created in Scotland to connect devices with one another.
2010 – Nest, the Wi-Fi connected thermostat is introduced to the market.
2012 – The app SmartThings is launched on Kickstarter. By 2013, it had shipped more than 10,000 hubs.
2013 – Smart home devices dominate at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the biggest international tradeshow focused on consumer electronics.
2015 – Such smart home innovations enter the market as the self-watering (and talking) flower pot, and a Wi-Fi connected coffee pot.

Establishing Protocols

To date, there have been no standard regulations for the automation of home devices, leading some to hesitate before smart-retrofitting their homes. There is also no overarching governing body, making some fear the consequences of a smart home hacked by cyber extortionists.

There are some entities attempting to offer guidance to developers and tech companies, however. The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) is a leading consensus building organization that nurtures, develops and advances global technologies, through IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. In addition, Zigbee is a non-profit organization that serves as the only open, global wireless standard to provide the foundation for the IoT by enabling simple and smart objects to work together to improve comfort and efficiency in everyday life. The ZigBee Alliance is an open, non-profit association of approximately 400 members working to drive development of innovative, reliable, and easy-to-use ZigBee standards.

Smart Home Advantages for Seniors and The Disabled

In a world where lights can turn themselves on and off as you pass through rooms, and pantries can maintain their own inventories, the impact that such conveniences can have is maybe felt greatest of all for those that suffer from age-related or developmental disabilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s estimated that one out of every five adults in the United States is living with a disability. The most common disabilities include:

Hearing difficulty, including deafness.
Vision difficulty, including blindness or having serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses.
Speech or language difficulty.
Cognitive difficulty, including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or memory loss.
Ambulatory/walking difficulty, including having serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Arthritis.
Self-care/independent living difficulty, including difficulty dressing, bathing, or getting to/from doctor’s appointments or errands.

For each of the disabilities listed above, what was once an incapacitating disorder that made living independently in one’s home nearly impossible, life-simplifying smart-home technology advancements are allowing individuals to remain comfortably, and safely, in their own homes—where they most want to be. What follows are smart home solutions that can make independent living possible for each of the previously listed disabilities. No matter the budget.

Hearing Difficulty

According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, it’s estimated that 20 percent of Americans are living with some degree of hearing loss. The most impacted population segment includes seniors, as one out of three individuals at age 65 suffers from hearing loss. Imagine the challenges of an individual living alone who suffers from a hearing disability. How many audio cues do you rely upon in your home? If you could not hear, how would you know if your doorbell rang? When your oven timer was done? When your washing machine or dishwasher finished its cycle? Or if a home intruder was attempting to break in? Consider these smart home innovations for the hearing impaired:

Colored Notification Lights

A smart home convenience that can add comfort and reassurance to the home of a hearing-impaired resident is the installation of a colored light notification system. To help alert the hearing impaired of a variety of scenarios, the latest smart home innovations blink, and even use a series of colors to signify different types of alerts. For example, you may be able to customize your home so that your lights blink orange when a stranger arrives at your door, or purple when a specific family member comes home, or blink blue to indicate laundry is done. Such alerts help the hearing impaired to maintain a self-sufficient home environment.
Such lighting systems are available with a variety of features, from voice-controlled dimming (working in conjunction with Amazon Echo’s Alexa), while others allow for more customized color notification programming. They range from around $30 for a voice controlled dimming light to $200 for a complete set with greater capabilities.

Pros	Colored lights can notify you of a variety of pre-defined home needs.
Cons	The bulbs are more expensive than traditional light bulb, and also require the purchase and installation of a hub device.
Customizations	Some systems allow you to customize what each flashing color indicates, allowing you to lead a more informed and confident home life.
Product Considerations	Some brands, such as the Philips Hue, can integrate with smart home hubs, such as the Amazon Echo. If you plan to integrate your lights with existing systems, make sure the brands you choose are compatible with your existing equipment.
Installation	Some customization and personalization may be required to set color preferences, or to tie into a smart home hub, however professional installation should not be required.
Budget	$$

Smart Doorbells

A variety of smart doorbells have been designed to assist the hearing impaired. Some integrate with smartphone apps and can alert a hearing-impaired individual when someone is at the door by causing the phone to vibrate or blink an alert light.

Taking the concept one step further, a camera doorbell allows an individual to see who is on the other side of the door by sending a camera feed to a smart phone. Through an interconnected speaker system, the homeowner can also speak to the guest. In the case of seniors with hearing loss or mobility issues, this allows them to ask their guest to wait while they make their way to the door.

An alternative smart doorbell option functions through the use of audio frequency waves. These products emit a sound on a unique frequency that can be detected by the deaf.

Perhaps the most fully functioning products add an additional security component by adding a motion sensor to detect activity outside the home. Such features help protect the hearing impaired from the threat of a home break-in by alerting the home owner with a smart phone alert when it’s detected that someone is outside the home.

Pros	Smart doorbells can offer the hearing impaired the comfort and security of knowing they are protected from intruders, and that they won’t miss an important visitor. As an added security feature, a homeowner can turn on the doorbell camera to check on the house at any time.
Cons	Most, with the exception of the audio frequency options, require integration with an existing smart phone.
Customizations	Some smart doorbells can be integrated with home security systems, allowing you to give a voice command to unlock the door if you’ve been notified of a visitor, and have confirmed visually that it’s someone you want to let into your home.
Product Considerations	Budget may be the most significant factor when deciding which smart doorbell to select. Most smart doorbells are available for a few hundred dollars, depending on their features, although stand-alone audio frequency doorbells are typically the least expensive. If you have a smart home hub that connects multiple smart home products, you may want to choose a doorbell that can integrate with your hub.
Installation	If you choose a more complex system that requires integration with a home security system, you may want to consider professional installation.
Budget	$ – $$
Also Benefits	Those with mobility issues.

Two-Way Communication Device

To enable the deaf or hearing impaired to more easily participate in dialogue with those who do not speak sign language, UNI is a smart assistive technology gaining popularity and support on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. The product, which is designed in the shape and size of a tablet, detects hand and finger gestures with a special camera algorithm that converts the sign language into text for the non-hearing impaired. It is also equipped with a microphone that converts speech into text to assist the hearing impaired. When both participants in the conversation are using an UNI device, they can carry on a meaningful conversation. The device sells for about $200.

Pros	UNI does not require Wi-Fi to use the sign-to-voice and voice recognition features, which means it can be used even when Wi-Fi is not available.
Cons	UNI is not yet available via mainstream retailers. To reserve an UNI device, visit the company’s page on Indiegogo. Also, in addition to the purchase price, UNI requires an annual subscription, which means you will be subject to ongoing costs.
Customizations	UNI allows a user to save custom language to its dictionaries to personalize the experience for the user. UNI also remembers your movements to constantly improve its translations.
Product Considerations	UNI is only compatible with English and American Sign Language. If English or ASL are not the primary languages of the intended users, UNI will not be a viable communication option.
Installation	There is no installation required for UNI, just the need to learn its interface and capabilities.
Budget	$$

Vision Difficulty

It’s estimated by the CDC that 4.6 percent of Americans have a vision disability. In addition, it’s estimated that 6.5 million Americans over age 65 have a severe vision impairment. No matter the age at which vision loss occurs, the possibility of not being able to live an independent lifestyle can be terrifying. Vision difficulties may mean an inability to navigate one’s home, identify safety risks in the home, or detect intruders. Consider these smart home innovations for the vision impaired:

Voice-Controlled Home Entertainment Systems

The visually impaired still enjoy listening to their favorite television shows, however managing television equipment and interacting with standard visually based interfaces can be impossible. New innovations in entertainment systems offer the visually impaired the ability to change channels with voice commands and listen to a talking guide.

Pros	Independent management of home electronics.
Cons	Functionality is typically limited to searching for content, and does not assist with other needs, such as volume or power control.
Product Considerations	Solutions are available from Apple TV, Samsung, and Comcast. The decision for which system to choose may depend on your other home electronics and their compatibility with one another.
Installation	Assistance will be needed to set-up the hardware and, if applicable, integrate the device with the home internet system.
Budget	$$
Also Benefits	Those with mobility issues or arthritis.

Smart Home Hubs

Devices such as Amazon’s Echo with Alexa, the Apple Home Kit, Google Home, or SmartThings offer home owners the ability to give voice commands in order to access information or control a variety of integrated home devices. For a modest fee, a smart home device can be set up to command a variety of smart home devices, such as home security systems, home entertainment systems, and thermostats, using voice commands—an ideal capability and ultra-convenience for the visually impaired.

With a smart hub, a vision impaired home owner could request to hear a summary of the latest news, or ask for a timer or alarm clock to be set. By integrating your smart hub with other smart phone devices, oral commands can be given to lock the doors, turn the television on to a specific channel, or turn the lights off in the room. The Amazon Echo retails for about $180, and the Google Home retails for about $120. Additional smart home devices are sold separately.

Pros	Can act as a stand-alone device or as a smart home hub when paired with other compatible smart technology.
Cons	Each hub product is compatible with a different set of smart home devices, so if integration is desired, research will be needed to determine which devices can integrate with one another.
Customizations	For the tech savvy, some smart home hubs can be customized further, as the Amazon Echo provides a channel on IFTTT, a free online automation service that lets individuals craft their own automated command preferences using an “if this, then that” logic.
Product Considerations	Depending on your home and interconnectivity needs, plan to research the capabilities of each type of device to choose the brand that suits your needs. Currently, the Echo integrates with more smart home device brands. While Google integrates with August, Belkin Wemo, Frigidaire, Honeywell, Insignia, Lifx, Logitech Harmony, Next, Philips, Rachio, Samsung, TP-Link, Wink, and anything with a Chromecast attached to it, the Echo supports all of those except Chromecast, as well as Blink, Carrier, DigitalStrom, Haiku, Leviton, Lowe’s Iris, Lutron, Netatmo, and many others.
Installation	Setting up a stand-alone smart home device does not require hard wiring or complex integration; however technical assistance may be needed if you intend to customize your smart home hub to help you command other smart home devices.
Budget	$$
Also Benefits	Those with mobility issues, or arthritis.

Smart Braille Watch

The Dot Watch provides the visually impaired with the freedom to communicate and live more independently. It is the first Braille smartwatch and it can connect via Bluetooth to any smartphone, then retrieve and translate text into Braille on the face of the watch, one letter at a time. It can notify the wearer of emails, tweets, or even allow him to read a book, in addition to, of course, telling time. While much less expensive than most braille readers, the Dot Watch will retail, once available, for about $290.

Pros	Allows the wearer to read incoming messages, emails, tweets, and books.
Cons	The Dot Watch is still in production and is only accepting pre-orders. The initial release will only be available in English and Korean.
Customizations	The initial launch will not offer customization.
Product Considerations	The primary consideration for a visually impaired individual considering at Dot Watch is if they would prefer to read messages in braille, or use a device that can speak incoming messages, such as a smart phone or smart home hub.
Installation	Not required.
Budget	$$

Speech or Language Difficulty

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), approximately 7.5 million Americans have trouble using their voices. The causes are far ranging. Spasmodic dysphonia, for example, is a voice disorder caused by involuntary movements of one or more of the muscles in the larynx that can affect anyone. Women between the ages of 30 and 50 are particularly susceptible to the condition. In addition, Laryngeal papillomatosis, a condition in which tumor grow inside the larynx, though rare, can severely impact speech as well. Another cause of speech disability includes cleft palate, the fourth most common birth defect and one that impacts one out of every 700 live births.

Speech disabilities sometimes accompany hearing loss, particularly in cases where an individual is born with a hearing disability, or develops one at a young age, and the development of speech capabilities is impeded. Whether an individual experiences speech disability alone, or it is accompanied by hearing loss, they face unique challenges in managing their day-to-day lives. What follows is a smart home solution for the speech impaired.

Speech Interpretation

Talkitt is an application that helps individuals with speech impediments to better communicate with those around them by translating unintelligible pronunciations into understandable speech. The device works in any language. Currently, the initial device, plus a three-year subscription, can be purchased for $250.

Pros	Allows the hearing impaired to better communicate with others who may not be able to understand them due to a speech impediment.
Cons	Talkitt is not yet available for purchase through traditional retail. It is still in the process of generating funding through Indiegogo. Talkitt will require an annual subscription, so after initial purchase, additional fees will apply.
Customizations	Talkitt recognizes patterns in an individual’s speech and creates a personal speech dictionary for the user to produce more accurate translations over time.
Product Considerations	Only one version of Talkitt will be part of the initial launch. In the future, the brand intends to make its application available on desktop computers and wearable devices.
Installation	No installation is required. Talkitt can be downloaded onto any smart phone or tablet.
Budget	$$

Cognitive Difficulty

According to the CDC, 10.6 percent of Americans have a cognition disability. Adults 45 to 64 years of age are more likely than any other age group of adults to report a cognitive disability. In addition, memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s are serious condition that impact seniors, making it extremely difficult for them to safely live independent lives as their cognitive abilities deteriorate. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and is the most common cause of dementia, a condition characterized by a decline in memory, language, problem-solving and other cognitive skills that impacts an individual’s ability to perform everyday activities. Fortunately, thanks to advances in smart home technology, more seniors and individuals with cognitive disabilities are able to live in their own homes, and more independently, longer. Below are some innovations helping keep those with cognitive difficulty safe and comfortable at home.

Health Monitoring

One of the greatest concerns for patients with cognitive disabilities is the fear that if not properly cared for, they will fail to take proper care of themselves. There are plenty of low-tech Telehealth and other software systems that can help organize medication schedules, but thanks to a new device called Lively, family members and caregivers are able to better monitor those with cognitive disabilities—remotely. With Lively, sensors are placed around the home that learn an individual’s normal routine for such activities as taking medications, sleeping, eating, as well as their typical activity habits. The information is captured by the sensors and interpreted by the Lively Hub where it is sent to a website.

Caregivers and family members can refer to the patient’s Lively web portal to view activity. Most importantly, Lively will ping notifications if it determines abnormal or unsafe activity. Lively sensors can be attached to a refrigerator to ensure the patient is eating properly, to pill bottles to ensure medication is being taken at the right times, or to a set of keys to monitor time out of the house. Currently, the Lively system retails for about $50.

Pros	Thanks to the integration with the Lively Hub, a Wi-Fi connection or home network are not needed.
Cons	Some users have reported inconsistent effectiveness of the device sensors.
Customizations	Lively learns patterns in an individual’s behavior so that if abnormal behavior is identified, caregivers can be alerted.
Product Considerations	Only one version of Lively is available at this time.
Installation	Installation is easy and simply requires set up of the sensors, plug in of the hub, and learning how to interface with the website.
Budget	$
Also Benefits	Those with a self-care disability, or mobility issues.

Key Finders

As memory begins to decline, one of the most common daily frustrations is remembering were important home items have been left, such as house keys. A key finder typically works with a Bluetooth device and can be connected to a smart phone to help identify the location of lost keys. A wide range of products are available that start at $8, and increase to $60.

Pros	Most key finders can be attached to more than just a set of keys to help keep track of a variety of important home items.
Cons	In most cases, if you are caring for someone remotely, you’ll need to be in close proximity to help them locate lost keys using the smart phone paired to the tracking device.
Customizations	Some products offer geofencing, which means you’ll receive an alert if your keys travel outside a pre-set range.
Product Considerations	Some options, such as the Track Bravo can be integrated with a smart home hub. Also, various products have different ranges, so depending on the size of your home or property, be sure to choose the product that best suits your anticipated needs.
Installation	No installation is required, just pairing with your mobile device.
Budget	$
Also Benefits	Those with mobility issues.

Ambulatory Difficulty

The CDC estimates that 13 percent of Americans have a mobility disability. Mobility challenges can stem from a variety of causes, including birth defects, amputations, general age-related impairments, or injuries. For someone who has developed an injury, one of their greatest fears is the loss of their freedom, and the worry that they will no longer be able to live independently in their home. A variety of smart home solutions are helping those with mobility issues remain in their homes and live capable, independent lives.

Internet-Connected Electronics

For homes not previously built to accommodate someone in a wheelchair, day-to-day activities as simple as turning light switches on and off can become daunting tasks. Now, there are smart home solutions that will connect home electronic systems to the Internet, allowing lights to be controlled from a smartphone. This includes lighting, window blinds, pet feeders, air conditioners, washers and dryers, sprinkler systems, ovens, and thermostats.

Pros	Those with limited mobility can interact with essential home devices from the safety of a wheelchair, or without the fear of a fall.
Cons	For some, the availability of a variety of interconnected devices becomes difficult to manage when each requires the use of a separate mobile phone app. For many, this is the benefit of choosing devices that can integrate with a single smart home hub device.
Customizations	Depending on the device, some can be programmed to perform specific activities at certain times (like turn your bedroom lights on every day at 6 a.m.), or can learn your preferences over time.
Product Considerations	A growing number of manufacturers are entering each category of interconnected home electronics. Choosing the product that is right for you will depend on your budget, your needs, and whether or not the device needs to integrate with a smart home hub.
Installation	Installation varies by product. A pet feeder, for example simply needs to be plugged in and tethered to your Wi-Fi, while a sprinkler system will require professional installation.
Budget	$ – $$
Also Benefits	Those with a self-care disability, or arthritis.

Door Locks and Security Systems

Smart home locks security systems give individuals with mobility issues the comfort of knowing that they are safe in their own home. A range of products is available. Basic models allow an individual to lock and unlock doors using a smart phone, a convenience for individuals for whom walking across the home to lock and unlock the doors throughout the day can be a challenge.

More sophisticated systems offer more complex home monitoring and capabilities that allow you to turn lights on and off, lock doors, and view video cameras no matter where you are in the world, as long as you are connected to the Internet.

Pros	The convenience and comfort of knowing you can maintain a safe home. Most products integrate seamlessly with most deadbolts. As an additional security feature, you can choose to be notified if your door opens, even if you’re not at home.
Cons	Some smart home security systems require a contract in order to utilize their full surveillance capabilities, so make sure ongoing costs factor into your budget.
Customizations	Some products can be customized with a preferred schedule, so that doors lock and unlock at the same time every day, depending on your needs. You can also set some products to automatically lock your door if it has been unlocked for a predetermined amount of time.
Product Considerations	Depending on your needs and your budget, choosing the right product will mean deciding if you simply need to lock and unlock doors using a smart phone in order to accommodate mobility difficulties, or if you need more robust security and surveillance services. In addition, some smart home locks and security features can integrate with other smart products, such as a smart home hub. If integration is essential to you needs, be sure to choose a product that is compatible with other products in your home.
Installation	Depending on the system you choose, you may need both technical set-up assistance, and professional installation.
Budget	$ – $$
Also Benefits	Those with a self-care disability, or arthritis.

Motion Controlled Smart Phone

Many smart home devices function with smart phone integration, yet for those who suffer from mobility issues, the ability to use a touch screen may not be possible. To assist those without the control of their hands, the Sesame Phone accepts commands using small head movements tracked with a front-facing camera. Head movements mirror typical touch movement. For example, gesturing to the right tells the device to swipe right. A nod may tell the device to play. The Sesame Phone retails for $1200.

Sesame Phone is only compatible with Android apps.

Pros	Sesame Phone can also function with voice commands.
Cons
Customizations	By integrating the Sesame Phone with other smart devices, or with a smart hub, the phone can be used for more than just phone calls. It can be used to control other smart home devices, such as home electronics, or the thermostat.
Product Considerations	Sesame currently only utilizes the Google Nexus phone for its hardware. If you currently utilize an iPhone that is integrated with other devices, switching to an Android phone may result in other integration issues.
Installation	No set-up is required.
Budget	$$$
Also Benefits	Those with a speech disability

Arthritis

What may seem like an inconvenience, is truly a disability for the millions of people living with the pain and limited mobility that accompanies Arthritis. According to the CDC, from 2013 to 2015, an estimated 54.4 million U.S. adults annually had been diagnosed with a form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia—all conditions that cause severe pain and limited movement, and can make basic household chores a challenge.
While many of the solutions available for individuals with mobility issues can benefit those with Arthritis, such as Internet controlled electronics, in addition, the product below can benefit those living with this chronic pain condition.

Smart Toothbrush

Oral health is important to overall health, yet for individuals living with arthritis, the simple act of vigorously brushing their teeth can be a challenge. Now smart toothbrushes are making oral care easier for those with grip and coordination issues. Smart toothbrushes provides much of the brushing action necessary with less manual movement, helping to ease discomfort for those with joint pain.

Pros	Smart toothbrushes have built-in pressure sensors and timers for optimal oral health.
Cons	Even though most smart toothbrushes are affordable and can fit most budgets, they are more costly than traditional products, take up more space, and require regular charging.
Customizations	Speed settings allow you to accommodate your personal sensitivity needs. In addition, those with an integrated app allow you to optimize your brushing habits.
Product Considerations	A wide range of products are available, at a variety of price points, sizes and weights. Choose the product that fits your budget and is most comfortable in your grip.
Installation	None
Budget	$
Also Benefits	Those with a self-care disability, those with mobility issues.

Self-Care/Independent Living Difficulty

It’s estimated that 6.5 percent of Americans have an independent living disability, and 3.6 percent of Americans have a self-care disability. For those struggling with such disabilities challenges may range from an inability to dress oneself, to an inability to grocery shop, run errands, or take oneself the doctor. Of particular concern for seniors, self-care disabilities may be accompanied by cognitive, ambulatory, hearing, or vision disabilities, further necessitating the support for accommodations and devices that can enable one to live a more independent life, at home, for as long as possible.

Assistance Applications

assist-Mi is an assistance application that helps disabled individuals to get assistance in real-time by connecting service providers and caregivers with disabled individuals who may need transportation help at a moment’s notice. For individuals with a self-care disability, assist-Mi enables them to find a nearby caregiver who can assist with the types of activities they are unable to do on their own, such as traveling to work, going shopping, or running errands.

Pros	Improves the daily lives of people with a self-care disability by connecting them with nearby caregivers. The app also provides a directory of accessible nearby service providers, such as retailers and facilities for convenient reference.
Cons	The app works by connecting the disabled with nearby caregivers. If you live in a more rural area, your options for nearby caregivers may be limited. Similarly, depending on the exact time you need assistance, there may not be someone nearby available to assist.
Customizations	Smart location-based technologies personalize the experience so that those in need are paired with nearby caregivers. In addition, a user can create a custom profile and save personal preferences.
Product Considerations	assist-Mi primarily enables disabled individuals to obtain transportation assistance. If in-home care is the primary concern, such needs may be beyond the scope of the assist-Mi application.
Installation	None
Budget	$ The app is free from the iTunes® App Store and Google PlayTM Marketplace.
Also Benefits	Those with mobility issues, the vision impaired.

Wi-Fi Enabled Refrigerators

While the most advanced refrigerators offer the average, able-bodied individual convenience, for those with self-care needs, they offer a much-needed health benefit. The most advanced models of Wi-Fi enabled refrigerators have built-in cameras that allow you to see what’s inside the refrigerator without opening the door. You can also leave notes and appointment reminders on the refrigerator’s front digital display—a convenience for those who may also suffer from memory loss.

Perhaps most impressive of all, smart refrigerators will keep track of your re-stock needs and allow you to send a grocery list directly to a participating grocery store (such as Whole Foods, Fresh Direct, or Shop Rite), for delivery right to your door. Such conveniences enable home-bound individuals to be able to remain well cared for in their own home.

Pros	Thanks to the re-order and delivery functionality, home bound individuals don’t need to be reliant upon caregivers to help restock their food.
Cons	Not every grocery store offers online ordering and delivery. Depending on where you live, the ability to re-order products may not be feasible.
Customizations	For products with built-in on-screen apps, you can keep track of notes, calendar items, appointments, and grocery needs, helping you to personalize the product and it use.
Product Considerations	Budget may be the biggest consideration when choosing a smart refrigerator, since product features and installation costs range greatly, even more so than installing standard appliances. In addition, some brands integrate with smart home hubs. If you need to integrate your refrigerator with your smart home hub, be sure to choose a compatible system.
Installation	Assistance will be needed to bring the large refrigerator into the home. Depending on your technical aptitude, you may need assistance pairing it to your Wi-Fi and setting your preferences.
Budget	$$$ While a variety of products are available with features that range in complexity, most costs range from $1300 to $6,000.
Also Benefits	Those with mobility or cognitive disabilities, those with arthritis.

Additional Resources

For some, the addition of a few smart devices into the home could make all the difference needed to live independently. For others, the greater need is for a more integrated and robust use of the IoT to make a wider variety of home activities feasible. For still others, depending on their needs and the complexities of their disability, what is needed to keep them in the home where they belong may be a fully customized home environment.

Organizations do exist that are helping to build custom smart homes for the disabled, including veterans, seniors, and families with a special needs child. While a custom home requires the most significant funding considerations, there are organizations helping to make such projects affordable. If a fully customized smart home is what you need, explore the resources below:

TechHomes.com – Offers a state-by-state directory of smart home communities, builders, and resources.

RISE – Founded by actor Gary Sinese, RISE (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment), builds adaptive homes for disabled veterans.

Hive – Offers a series of interconnected smart devices that can be integrated with one another to create an end-to-end smart home living environment. Hive products can be retrofitted into existing homes, or installed into custom builds.

Disaster Safety & Assistive Technology: Protection for Seniors & the Disabled

Emergency Preparedness: How It Differs

When disaster strikes, our first instinct is to check in with our loved ones and make sure they’re okay. But if your loved one is a senior or has a disability, you can’t afford to wait to “check in” — timing is everything during an emergency, and you need to buy them as much time as possible to react independently. You should create an emergency preparedness guide to keep them safe and accessible even as a crisis is unfolding.

Old age, limited mobility, and sensory processing issues can all negatively impact one’s ability to respond. We’ve assembled this guide to help establish a centralized collection of resources and assistive technology that you can use for all aspects of disaster safety, from prevention through intervention and evacuation.

The goal here is to make sure your loved one (or their caregivers) have no delays in being alerted to danger, maximum reaction time, and the greatest possibility of successfully evacuating to safety or getting assistance if needed. Every resource listed below helps with this, both in disaster and normal times.

We focus on assistive technology here — starting with automobile resources and then expanding to general safety — but we’ve also incorporated ideas for local resources to consult with, including workshops and first responders. These groups often have recommendations appropriate to your geographic location and climate, state-of-the-art suggestions, advice on discounts, and even training programs to help your senior loved ones know how to use their assistive technology.

How Can We Protect Our Seniors?

The fact that elderly individuals are the most vulnerable to disasters is very well documented. For example, 75% of the bodies found in New Orleans during and right after Hurricane Katrina were aged 60 or older, despite only comprising 15% of the population. Researchers examining this disaster identified both the lack of evacuation facilities as well as handicaps as major contributing factors to mortality.

The good news is that because seniors are a significant, easily identifiable subset of the population, they are a major target for programming, services, and tools. By focusing on making it easier to alert and communicate with seniors, we can help ensure their path to safety. Additionally, we want to help reinforce the kinds of routines that can help them maintain stable health and increase long-term resilience. Review these action items and resources as you plan out how to protect yourself and/or your loved ones.

Don’t wait until the threat of disaster to look into these tools and resources. Even in normal daily life, they all provide value and protection.

Maximize the cameras in your vehicle. Being aware of your surroundings becomes that much more critical during a disaster. There are specific camera features built into automobiles that can help you safely maneuver through peril, keeping yourself and those around you safe even with obstructed visibility.
Rearview monitors are already required for all new cars by May 2018, but it is worth making sure your monitors work properly, and that you are comfortable using them.
360-degree camera systems help provide a bird’s eye view of your camera in relation to your surroundings. Though helpful for everyone, they are particularly useful for people who have trouble seeing or having trouble moving to see, such as how drivers might need to turn their neck and shoulders quickly. During a disaster, you might be faced with limited range of sight through your windows, and so every bit of help you can get could make a crucial difference.
Blind spot monitors can detect other cars near the driver’s side and the rear of the vehicle and issue a warning signal in a medium easily handled by the driver and matching their preferences, whether that be a sound, a light, or even a vibration.
Maximize the lighting in and around your vehicle. Again, you need to make sure you see as much as possible – and are also seen by others, which can help keep you safer and also make it easier for you to get help if you are in distress.
- Adaptive headlights that adjust according to the direction you turn the steering wheel can help you navigate better through inclement conditions.
- Automatic high beams turn on during lowlight conditions and help give you one less thing to remember. This helps increase your field of vision, while also making your car more visible to others.
- Use auto-dimming rear and side-view mirrors to reduce glare and enhance visibility without having to think about it.
Automate crash detection and first responder access when on the road using telematics systems which combine GPS coordinates with on-board diagnostics to record data points about driving patterns. These systems can detect crashes, making them excellent warning systems that can summon emergency responders even when the driver is injured or unconscious.
These days, each car maker has their own affiliation with telematics companies, so consider this as you purchase or equip your vehicle. Other factors to consider are smartphone integration, location and driving alert settings (what can you configure, can the data be accessed remotely/on a smartphone, etc.), and even diagnostics abilities. Be sure to understand telematics before using them, including how they might not have the impact on car insurance that you thought.
Check to see if you can have driver drowsiness detection installed in your vehicle. Different systems can use different data points to trigger warnings, including biometrics, lane monitoring, and even steering input. If you are partly injured in any way – and might not realize it – such a system can tell and make sure you are kept safe.
Automate emergency braking. Seniors may have reduced reaction time, but this can be compensated for through technology that slows the car down in time to reduce or even impact. Aside from preventing crash mortalities, this also protects seniors from injuries that may be difficult and expensive to recuperate from. You can think about this as the automobile version of reducing ‘fall risk.’
Install power steering, maintain your suspension system, and use an automatic transmission. Reduce the physical demands of driving as much as possible to minimize fatigue and maximize reaction time for senior drivers. Make it easier for your senior to steer through a smooth drive, maintaining full control over their vehicle.
Consider a steering knob or other simplified steering systems to accommodate any physical limitations. (Be sure to check its legality in your state.) Also, a thick steering wheel can be easier for those with arthritis to grip, particularly if it is heated.
Consider the complexity of the dashboard and the size of the gauges. Test drive and make sure that the buttons on the dashboard are comfortable spaced and easy to use, and be wary of too many touchpads – these can be difficult to operate and very distracting.

Check out the assistive technology built into mobile phones. With options for emergency alerts, large fonts, flashing lights for ring tones, easily referenced contacts, and fully customizable dashboards, you can tailor your smartphone to accommodate your seniors’ needs and comfort with technology. This will ensure that your senior can access the resources they need wherever they are.
Use reminders wisely. Setting automatic reminders for maintenance steps can help make sure that your resources are optimized and ready, even in the face of danger.
Resort to a simple flip phone if necessary. If smartphones are overwhelming., consider buying a simple emergency flip phone, which often have built-in large fonts and loud tones. This will keep your senior safer wherever they are.
Install keyless entry and ignition to prevent delays from misplaced keys.
Automate monitoring for deviations from routine at-home. This is helpful for rapid intervention not just in the event of a natural disaster, but even for individual crises. Alarm.com’s Wellness device (formerly BeClose) monitors your loved ones’ activities and allows you to set alerts for deviations in their behavior.
Facilitate easy communication between seniors and responders. There are plenty of devices out there that keep emergency responders at one’s fingertip if a phone alone does not suffice, or if you’d like to make it even easier; for a monthly subscription, you can have 24×7 monitoring. You want your senior to be able to access help immediately and easily, even if they are in distress or rendered immobile. Ideally, no landline is required for these services, although that might be an issue if your senior lives in an area with poor cellular coverage. Often these medical alert systems (e.g. MobileHelp) offer fall buttons and waterproof devices, allowing them to be carried everywhere.
Make it easier for your seniors to communicate directly with you. Devices exist that convert SMART TVs into easily navigated videophones, often with reminders and other features included; Independa is one example of this. They also allow you to check the weather forecast and set reminders for your loved ones, which can be particularly helpful when preparing for a possible natural disaster.
Make sure your senior receives weather, emergency, and local breaking news reports. With special apps for smartphones and smart TVs now available, as well as plug-in devices capable of achieving this as well, you have many options for easily staying up-to-date. Weather alert radios are one particularly useful device as they can be set to a specific region, and can be purchased to generate alerts in a modality that works best for you; for example, generating a flashing light in addition to a sound to accommodate the hard of hearing.
Invest in an easy to navigate computer designed for seniors. Features to look for include touch screen, bright displays, text-to-speech, and simple apps/interface. Change is difficult for everyone, and it can be hard to master new devices in old age. Keep your device limited to the essentials if you want it to actually be used! Telikin is one maker of senior-focused computers.
Centralize wellness management and communication. Monitor health and activity, manage medication administration, and facilitate communication – with family members, caregivers, and even emergency personnel – using a one-stop platform, such as GrandCare’s software, which works on any device that connects to the internet. One added consideration is that this removes from your senior’s plate the upkeep needed to maintain and access accurate contact listings for responders, health care professionals, and family members.
Automate medication administration to prevent emergencies. TabSafe is a device that can help with this; it also has an online reporting feature that can come in handy in the event of an emergency, where a disoriented or injured senior might not recall their last dosage, or – for example, in the event of an evacuation – might not be able to access their pills at home to confirm that they’ve taken all of their medication appropriate.
Keep mobility devices handy and charged. It’s not a terrible idea to have a spare cane or walker, or to maintain a back-up source of power for a scooter, just in case. Keep them accessible for your loved one and their caregivers.
Check for local workshops. Usually free, one of the best places to start is with locally-organized workshops. These are usually hosted by first responders, and can help provide the most up-to-date expertise specific to both the problems (e.g. hurricanes) and resources (e.g. hurricane response team) found in your area. They may even organize events for particular groups, such as seniors or even kids. Specific institutions to look to for such help include:
Local libraries
Senior centers
Area Agencies on Aging
Access centers
FEMA or Homeland Security hosted
Local organizations for particular age groups or disabilities
Check with first responders. These include police and fire departments as well as local branches of the American Red Cross, who may be able to provide you with the right contact information and measures for resources within your community.
Review how to register for disaster assistance. Depending on the event that occurs, knowing how to register for this can help provide the necessary resources you need to handle. This is also a great way to make sure that your senior has the appropriate contact info handy and is comfortable making any necessary calls, checking sites, and reading their email.

Additional resources

Here are some great sources for more details to help you or your senior develop safety plans, and become ready should disaster strike:

How Can We Help People with Sensory Disabilities?

Seniors are not the only group whose physical limitations render them vulnerable in the face of disaster. Anyone whose sensory processing is affected in any way – including anyone who is blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard-of-hearing – will be at risk during a disaster, where they may struggle to react fast enough or seek safety. An extreme case can be found in those with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), who constantly struggle with the detection of sensory signals and/or appropriately reacting to them.

Fortunately, there is technology available to help accommodate these disabilities in addition to what we’ve already covered above. In this section, we dig a bit deeper into accommodating disruptions in sensory perception.

Convert alert signals into modalities that do work. Assess the strengths and deficiencies you are working with. Be sure to consider the stability of the disability; if it is degenerative, consider an adaptation that will retain maximum helpfulness over time even as the condition progresses.
Append visual signals – such as turn signals – with sounds for those who struggle to see. Devices exist such as the Turn-Alarm that help produce sounds in sync with your light signals, to help compensate for sight deficiencies. This can also be very helpful to make sure you or your loved one do not accidentally leave your turn signal on. Miscommunication with other drivers can lead to accidents, especially during an emergency state.
Mount a siren alert device in your car for those who have trouble hearing. These devices can detect the high-frequency sound waves emitted from emergency vehicles and provide alternative signals for those who are hearing impaired.
Use this principle around the house as well. Carbon monoxide alarms, fire and smoke detectors, and even weather alert systems exist that generate signals that work for particular disabilities, e.g. generate strobe lights that flash before the hard of hearing. The sooner your loved one can be alerted to any sort of disaster, the sooner they can take cover.
Know the triggers. For your loved ones with sensory processing disorders (SPD), what causes symptoms to flare up? With the chaos that often ensues in the wake of a crisis, it is imperative to be keenly aware of triggers and have some sort of strategy to cope. Combined with therapy, this remains the best thing that can be done by those with SPD to prepare for disasters. After all, during an emergency there is no way to completely cut out triggers like sirens or flashing lights.
- Does sound trigger? Build a ritual to mute phones, and discuss a coping mechanism in case sudden sounds come on while out and about. Consider using ear plugs; do not totally block out all sound, but instead rely on them to muffle out the extremes and keep clarity of mind around your loved one. Keep spares nearby in case of emergency.
- Are bright lights an issue? Make sure to familiarize them with auto-dimming features on their mirrors so that glare does not trigger them. Consider tinting the windows (within legal limits). Keep sunglasses – preferably polarized – on hand for particularly difficult days.
- Is smell a trigger? Consider having a face-mask on hand, or a sample of a tolerable scent (e.g. a bottle of clarifying essential oil) to help drown out any offensive scents and keep your loved one collected. Again, having this on hand in case of emergency will help make it easier for your loved one to balance their sensitivity while also seeking shelter.
Make sure your emergency kit includes medicine to deal with acute symptoms of sensory overload. For example, keep migraine medicine or anti-emetics on hand. These can help provide relief and hence clarity during critical moments.
Use a bioptic telescope to see better while driving. These are eyeglasses mounted with miniature telescopes, allowing the driver wearing them to view details in the distance… and have enough time to react with their vehicle. Be sure to check your state’s rules about driving with this visual enhancement.
Invest in an assistive listening device (ALD), which enhances the function of hearing aids and cochlear impacts by filtering out the background noise. Particularly during an emergency situation, this could help encourage swift, appropriate response to danger by helping the individual hear and more accurately process what’s going on.
Use voice clarifying devices for TV audio to hear alerts. Weather alerts and other critical warnings can be conveyed by local news circuits, and so being able to hear and process television communication is essential. Devices like TV Ears help to amplify/clarify dialog without needing to turn up the volume.
Use amplified ringers and phone amplifiers. Whether for land lines or cell phones, use these tools to adjust the volume beyond the normal range and ensure that your loved one who is hard of hearing can hear the phone ring or during a call. Safety alerts and instructions from first responders need to be audible in order to be practical.
Use a weather alert radio, which is set to monitor weather for a specific geographic area and provide alerts based on upcoming potential emergencies as well as any existing ones. Features to look for include pillow shakers and strobe lights, to make sure the device’s notifications match what your loved one can sense.
Invest in TTY, TDD, or TT – acronyms for the same thing: solutions that exist to accommodate individuals who cannot hear to parse speech. Whether you buy a communications solution or modify an existing one, options exist for every form of phone: landlines, wireless, and even computers. These allow for keyboard input of conversations that can be read out loud. The essential part here is to make sure that there is a way for your loved one to interact with others in case of an emergency.
Use video phones to allow for sign language communication. Consider portable solutions to keep this option available even for individuals on the go. When you do get a portable solution, make sure to consider how it will be powered, and if there are any other back-up precautions you need to take in order to ensure that your loved one can actually use it in the event of an emergency.

Register yourself for emergency assistance. If you have a disability, it’s imperative to register with your local fire, police, and/or emergency department offices so that you can receive the help you need. If you have accommodations that require electricity, register with the utility company (if they have this capability).
Assess yourself. The Red Cross recommends outlining what your needs are and how they can be met, both before and after a disaster. Record these, whether in writing or audio.
Know your support network. Yes, the goal here is to provide individuals with independence for disaster safety, but it is always a good idea to support this with taking note of whom your emergency contacts are, in terms of family, caregivers, and local resources. Collect their up-do-date contact information. For personal contacts, let them know about each other as well as how to reach each other. Be sure to take note of medicine, disabilities, special needs, and sensitivities, and discuss these with your people. Compile and keep a reference document on you that can be used in case of an emergency.
Know your evacuation plan. Depending on the disaster – fire, inclement weather, medical emergency – where should you go? Make sure you know where shelters and hospitals are, and share these with your support network.
Look for disability-oriented workshops and training. These are often put on by local organizations dedicated to serving a particular disability, as well as professional organizations led by providers who frequently handle specific disabilities. They often address both the assistive technologies as well as services that are available to affected populations.

Additional resources

For further information on assistive technology that can help you or your disabled loved one avoid disaster, check out the following resources:

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