Notion’s multifunctional sensors can be used for all kinds of different things, like tracking water leaks, temperature changes, and open and closed doors.
This can give homeowners greater peace of mind when it comes to the safety of their properties – if any issues spring up, they’ll be alerted right away via the Notion app so they can take immediate action.
But Notion’s sensors have plenty of unique uses too – for example, they can also be used by family members to monitor their elderly parents from afar.
Thanks to Notion’s multi-manager role (which allows both you and your parents to receive smartphone alerts), you can monitor and better understand the habits and safety risks of your elderly loved ones and any problems will be brought to your attention sooner.
Below, we look at 4 ways that Notion’s door functionality can be used to keep aging parents safe:
#1: Install Notion Sensors on Medicine Cabinets
Forgetting to take medication at a prescribed time is a common problem in older people.
They may simply forget to take their medication, causing them to skip doses. Or they may have trouble remembering if they’ve already taken a medication and wind up taking multiple doses.
In either case, this can be a major cause of concern, especially if you live in a different city and can’t physically be there to help your parents manage their medications.
First of all, it’s a good idea to enlist outside support if your parents require a lot of help with their medication management – this can be a nurse, caregiver, or even a sibling!
But another option is to install a Notion Sensor on your parents’ medicine cabinet. This can help you keep track of when and how often your parents are opening their medicine cabinet and taking their medication.
If you notice that the cabinet hasn’t been opened when it should be, you can quickly give your parents a call to check in and make sure everything is alright.
#2: Keep Track of Food Intake
Like with medication, as your parents get older, it’s common for them to forget about eating regularly.
This is especially common for parents with memory problems, such as those caused by Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. As your parents’ cognitive abilities change over time, everyday tasks like buying groceries, cooking meals, and eating may not have the same importance as they once did.
This is another area where Notion Sensors can come in handy.
If you’re worried about your aging parents’ food intake and want to track how often they’re opening and closing their fridge, pantry, or cupboards, consider installing a Notion Sensor on these doors.
This can give you more awareness and insight into how often your parents are making meals, which will ultimately give you a better understanding of their eating habits.
For example, if you notice that the fridge hasn’t been opened in the last 24 hours, you can reach out to your parents to make sure they’re safe and eating well.
#3: Help Manage Caregivers
Hiring a caregiver for your aging parents is a great way to let them live safely in their home for as long as possible.
Of course, finding the right person to care for your loved one can be a stressful process!
There’s no doubt that you want your caregiver to be professional, thoughtful, experienced, and friendly. But how do you ensure that they’re providing the best care for your parents? Especially if you live in a different city, state, or even country.
One easy way to keep track of your parents’ caregiver and their activities (when they’re coming and leaving) is to install a Notion Sensor on the front door of your parents' home.
That way, if the caregiver is expected to arrive at 8am but you see that the front door hasn’t been opened, you can quickly connect with them to make sure everything is okay.
#4: Open and Closed Doors
If you’d like to keep track of open and closed doors in your parents’ home, a home monitoring system like Notion can certainly help.
When you install Notion Sensors on the doors and windows of your or your parents’ home, you’ll receive an alert when they’re opened or closed – right on your phone through the Notion app.
This can be helpful for a few reasons.
You’ll be able to track when your parents have left for an appointment and when they get back home, when important or sealed off areas of their home have been accessed (such as the cellar or attic), and when a garage door or window has been left open.
This is especially valuable for those with parents who have Alzheimers or dementia. In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, 6 in 10 people with dementia will wander, which can be very dangerous if they become disoriented or lost. Keeping you on top of when your parents leave their home with Notion Sensors is a great way to help prevent this.
Plus, get more value out of your system bu utilizing the multifunctional component of Notion Sensors. For each of the 4 examples above, you can select to have temperature monitored by the sensor in addition to open/close so you can be notified if it's too warm/cold across your parents' home.
And that’s it! Making sure that your aging loved ones are safe is a huge priority for most families. Notion can help give you more peace of mind without invading your parents’ privacy.
Looking for more tips on how to keep your parents safe in their home? Check out our guide here!
