The “Jetsons Lifestyle” Could Help Senior Homeowners

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Friday Jul 11, 2008

Remember The Jetsons? That wild, futuristic cartoon family who enjoyed every automated convenience you could imagine? Sure they drove flying cars and lived in a space house, but if you think about it, the Jetson lifestyle is not that far off from reality today.

We already have all kinds of gadgets and computer-controlled devices built in to our homes that we wonder how we ever lived without – programmable thermostats, wireless Internet, voice-activated phones, video surveillance security, motion-sensor lights, keypad entrances, touch screen this and that, coffee makers you can set, TiVo… the list goes on and on. All these innovative inventions have made our lives easier and have brought us closer to that space-age world the Jetsons took for granted. But where this hands-free, mechanized environment can really come in handy is in the homes of elderly residents, who might otherwise have trouble managing a household on their own.

This sort of sci-fi concept could be the answer for senior homeowners who want to stay in their houses but need the type of assistance provided by traditional nursing homes. Outfitting a living space with special features and sensors can allow aging residents to remain in their homes longer. Some forward-thinking designers are testing the addition of products and technologies like heart and blood-pressure monitoring devices, systems that assist with cooking, medication reminders that appear on the bathroom mirror and instant, online communication with caregivers and physicians. In the Chicago area, organizations like the Center for Aging Services Technologies are pulling for the widespread use of such advances and in the near future it may be something the growing Baby Boomer population wants in a real estate purchase to prepare for a long life in their next home.

While these new-fangled ideas are purely experimental now, it might not be long before homes are routinely equipped to handle the needs of elderly residents.

Posted at 11:33AM Jul 11, 2008 by Spencer Mason in General Comments[2]

Comments:

Interesting post. This is the wave of the future.

Posted by Used Office Furniture Chicago on July 19, 2008 at 03:59 PM CDT #

I've always believed that in 25 years we will be transporting 200' above the earth. With the climate that we have right now people are willing to explore new options. The problem right now is to get the car manufacturers to pursue this. The billions that we spend in high friction road use will go away and we will by computer drive effortlessly to our destinations with less fuel costs than we have now. Let's release our forward thinking entrepeneurs to explore this great way of travel. This form of travel can be perfected with new money when companies decide that this option of travel is relevant. The Chicagoland area will have no boundries and people will flock to northwest Indiana because of taxes, incredible housing and the ease of traffic to and from work. Check out northwest Indiana, It already has those great conveniences.

Posted by dan on August 23, 2008 at 09:59 PM CDT #