ElderTech Comes to Boomer Homes?

We have had several prior blog posts about “eldertech”, that is devices, etc. designed specifically for elders (whatever age that is).  The eldertech “boom” if you will has been spreading for a while to applications in homes to allow individuals to remain in their homes longer. Who wouldn’t want a smart home!

If you missed this article in the Huffington Post, Huff/Post50 Blog take a few minutes and read it: Baby Boomers Are The First Tech-Savvy Retirees — And Have The Home Renovations To Prove It. The article notes

Some 80 percent are interested in innovative ways of reducing their home expenses, such as using smart thermostats or apps to control appliances. Another 58 percent are interested in technologies to help maintain their home, such as cleaning robots or heated driveways, says David Baxter, a senior vice president with Age Wave, a research and consulting company that teamed with Merrill Lynch to gauge what retirees are doing with their living arrangements.

…

In fact, Baxter says 47 percent of home renovations — about $90 billion a year — comes from households 55 and above. Retirees are renovating their homes to make them safer as they age, but they’re also trying to make their homes more attractive and versatile with the hope they can stay in them rather than move in with family or to an institutionalized setting when they are elderly.

What are the top 5 renovations? According to the article:

• adding a home office
• addressing the home’s curb appeal
• kitchen upgrades
• the addition of safety features
• renovation in multi-story homes to allow the owner to live on the first floor.