(BPT) - Technological advancements are helping aging adults stay safe, comfortable and connected as they age in place. And, families can feel more confident about mom, dad and the grands living independently, especially around the holidays.

“The year 2020 brings new innovative technologies to enable us to address the unique challenges we face as we age,” says Lisa Cini, president/CEO, Mosaic Design Studio and BestLivingTech.com. “Even the simplest tasks, like going to the bathroom, turning on the faucet, or cleaning up afterward can be difficult or dangerous for aging adults, but by integrating the latest gadgets into our home designs, seniors can remain safe, connected and independent.”

Lisa’s 2020 tech trends include:

• Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa can be used for a multitude of activities like listening to music and audio books, appointment and medication reminders, and hearing the weather. These gadgets can even make calls and respond to a simple “OK Google” or “Hey Alexa,” which can be useful after a slip or a fall (if within hearing range).
• A bidet eliminates the need for assistance in the bathroom by allowing users to clean up after themselves, providing independence and removing the embarrassment of asking for help.
• Hestan Cue Chef’s Pot measures the surface temperature of the pan via Bluetooth and is great for braising, poaching and perfecting dishes.
• Roomba the robot can vacuum multiple rooms daily and is compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. It travels back to its charging dock and can be customized to clean when you want it to.
• Moley Robotic Kitchen is a fully automated kitchen that acts as a MasterChef to cook thousands of meals. This smart robot takes away the hassle of cooking and cleaning and does everything at the touch of a button.
• Nest Smart Thermostat makes homes energy efficient, with a display that can be read from across the room or remotely by cell phone and works with Amazon’s Alexa for voice control.
• Loop keeps you connected to friends and family through a loop of photos, video and video chat.
• The Human Charger light therapy device enhances energy levels and helps you get restful, sustained sleep.
• The Dementia Day Cycle Clock displays the day of the week and morning, afternoon, evening or night, to help you distinguish between days of the week and cycles of the day.
• Med-Q Automatic Pill Dispenser will flash the corresponding day slot with a bright red light and blast an alarm that increases in volume until you take your pills at the scheduled time.
• A One Button Dementia Radio allows you to turn the radio on and off without confusing buttons and dials.
• The Wander Alarm Security Alert chimes or vibrates to let you know that the door or window has been opened.
• iGuardStove and FireAvert prevent burnt pans or fires by automatically shutting off power to the stove when the smoke alarm goes off.
• Joy for All Companion Pets provides joy without the headache as it responds to hugging, petting and motion like any typical cat or dog, mimicking the movement and purring sound of a cat to bring comfort and companionship. No need to clean the kitty litter or walk the dog in the snow with this companion pet.

BestLivingTech.com offers many of the available products above to help seniors embrace aging and independent living. As a boomer living designer, Lisa searches the world for the best technology to help people age in place and brings them all together in one online store — think Sharper Image meets AARP.

By keeping the home retrofitted with the latest technology, we can help our parents and grandparents stay safe and comfortable at home and eliminate some of the worry when we’re not around.

Lisa Cini, ASID, IIDA, is an award-winning, internationally recognized designer with decades of experience developing interiors that improve quality of life for seniors. She is the author of The Future is Here: Senior Living Reimagined, Hive: The Simple Guide to Multigenerational Living, and BOOM: The Baby Boomers Guide to Leveraging Technology, so that you can Preserve Your Independent Lifestyle & Thrive.

7 Ways to Create a High-Tech, Healthy Home

(Family Features) Home technology devices have come a long way, and many homeowners are discovering that their features aren’t just for convenience and comfort. A growing number of technology-enabled home features promote a healthier living space for you and your family.

From boosting indoor air quality to cutting back on dust, dirt and germs, these ideas are the perfect way to add functional upgrades that improve your quality of life.

1. Minimize floor debris.
The floors in most homes are grounds for an unsettling array of dust, dirt and other unsavory elements, many of which are tracked in from outdoors. A robotic vacuum can help you keep these and other allergens like pet hair under control with next to no effort. Some models even know when they’re low on battery, return to their docking station to recharge then rely on memory to pick up just where they left off. Many are also self-emptying for a virtually hands-free cleanup job after the initial setup.

2. Create climate zones.
A zoned approach to cooling and heating systems allows homeowners to cool and heat their homes in multiple zones, reducing energy consumption in spaces used infrequently. Today’s systems take climate management one step further. In addition to regulating the temperature, a system like Mitsubishi Electric Zoned Comfort Solutions offers advanced, multi-stage filtration that constantly cleans the air to capture and remove contaminants which may trigger allergy and asthma symptoms, spread germs and impact air quality. In addition, features like platinum deodorizing filters on select systems use nanotechnology to absorb and neutralize odors.

3. Wash away germs.
It’s only natural that a device you use to wash dirty hands is often one of the most bacteria-laden elements in a home. However, if you don’t have to touch a faucet, concerns about germs may diminish. Hands-free faucets are hardly new; they’ve been the norm in public restrooms for years. Now these models are more accessible (and affordable) for homeowners, offering the same germ-minimizing and water conservation benefits as their commercial counterparts.

4. Monitor for danger.
Fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are obvious essentials for any home, but smart models take protection even further by letting you know about a problem even when you’re not at home. By connecting the monitors to a smart device, such as your phone, you can be alerted to potential concerns before they become major threats to your health or even life. An added bonus: many models will also send notices about issues like low battery life, so if you get the alert while you’re already out, you can save yourself an extra trip.

5. Reduce ductwork.
Humidity can cause heating, ventilation and air conditioning ducts to become damp and breed mold, mildew and bacteria, but eliminating or reducing ductwork means less dust or bacteria circulating throughout your home. You can further manage air quality with options such as a Mitsubishi Electric Zoned Comfort System. These cooling and heating systems are available in both ducted and ductless configurations and use filters that are easy to access, remove and clean. Typically homes only use one type of cooling and heating system, but some home designs, such as room additions or retrofits, may require a hybrid system with a mix of ducted and ductless products with short duct runs and robust filtration.

In fact, Mitsubishi Electric ducted air systems use less ductwork than traditional systems. Less ductwork results in less chance of air leakage, which reduces energy loss, and less contaminants building up in the ductwork. For homeowners looking to go the ductless route, the simplicity of an option like the MLZ One-Way Ceiling Cassette indoor unit is an aesthetically friendly solution that blends into the ceiling. This system easily slides between standard 16-inch joists.

6. Let there be light.
Most experts agree that natural light is good for your overall wellbeing. Among the benefits are its mood-boosting abilities, and some research indicates it’s better for your eyes than the harsh glare of artificial bulbs (assuming you don’t stare directly at the sun, of course). Make it easy to fill your home with ambient natural light using smart technology for your window coverings, including blinds or drapes. Whether powered by a remote control or your smartphone, you’ll have the ability to create a lighter, brighter room at your fingertips.

7. Don’t overlook the outdoors.
A lawn that is over-watered is a breeding ground for mold, insects and other threats to your health. A smart irrigation system can help regulate your sprinklers to monitor the weather and avoid unnecessary watering. In addition, some models allow you to program the exact type of grass or vegetation to help keep tabs on lawn and flower bed moisture levels and make automatic adjustments to strike a perfect balance between drying out and oversaturating.

Explore more health-conscious solutions for your home at MitsubishiComfort.com.