Smart Home Devices: Member Event Brings Community to Campus

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Hear how one member's Tech at Home event informed, educated, and presented the opportunity to evaluate assumptions about what older adults want and need and what smart aging and technology means to them.

Wondering how to connect older adults with technology? Consider this innovative model from Parker, a LeadingAge CAST Patron in Piscataway, NJ, which late last year hosted its first-ever tech-focused event that attracted older adults (65+) from the surrounding community to "Living Smarter at Home," an introduction to smart home devices.

Approximately 50+ attendees attended talks and demonstrations at the Parker at Somerset campus, which offers an array of programs and services including long-term care, a state-of-the-art post-acute rehabilitation center, adult day care, a child day care center offering early Montessori education, and more.

The three-hour event offered "a first-of-its-kind look at how technology is being prioritized, adopted, and integrated across the aging services," said Judy Collett-Miller, Parker's director of business development and a LeadingAge CAST Commissioner. Here, she shares more details with me about the strategy leading up to it, the logistics and learnings gleaned from it.

Scott Code: What motivated you to host the event?

Judy Collett-Miller: As part of our 2025 goals, we had identified supporting older adults at home in the community with technology resources, training, and support to enable them to age in place-and budgeted for related initiatives. The initial focus was on safety and security, mobility, access to services, and engagement. We also recognize an opportunity for smart aging products to help support our clients in home-based settings.

The Tech at Home event was an opportunity to inform, educate, and evaluate some of our assumptions about what older adults want and need and what smart aging and technology means to them.

Code: What were the main components of the day?

Collett-Miller:

• Welcome from Donna Silbert, Chief Strategy Officer.
• Aging Smart with Smart Home Options: Keynote with Rob Mosquera, Parker CIIO.
• Waking Up with Smart Home Solutions Skit: Showed how technology can help create a morning wake-up routine.
• Smart Home Demonstrations: Featured 20+ technologies supported by Parker care partners, with smart tech demos in our bedroom, bath, and kitchen rehabilitation space.

Code: How did Parker choose the technologies, and which ones did you feature?

Collett-Miller: We included "smart home" devices available in the retail market that centered on safety, support, and engagement. We also included two wearables (yoga pants and socks) to give participants an idea of their look and feel. These choices created a fun atmosphere in which to learn.

Categories included the following:

• Engagement: Joyforall dog and cat, Meta glasses, Sensoria socks, virtual reality headset, etc.
• Home Maintenance and Support: Robotic lawn mower, livestream birdfeeder, stovetop safety sensor, smart thermostat, etc.
• Safety and Security: Motion sensor lighting, smart plugs, Echo Dot and Show, Smart lock, Ring camera doorbell.
• Wellness: Apple Watch, Air tags, Fitbit, smart toilet, smart scale, etc.

Code: Which technologies resonated the most with participants?

Collett-Miller: The highest engagement came with the smart speaker/lighting, smart bathroom products, robot vacuum, smart phones, and Ring battery doorbell. We believe that people could envision themselves using those technologies right away, and those are likely the most well-known.

Code: What was included in the take-home tech kits?

Collett-Miller: We sent 40+ participants home with a tech goodie-bag including a smart speaker, smart plug, Bluetooth tile tracker, and Ring battery video doorbell. Recipients signed a waiver and an agreement that Parker could ask about their use of the items for educational and research purposes. We did not offer product support, as we are trying to identify training and support needs.

Code: What advice would you give to organizations considering a similar event?

Collett-Miller: We gave the volunteer Tech Guides devices ahead of time so that they could use them. This proved extremely helpful for demonstrations (e.g., the robot lawn mower needed GPS coordinates). Virtual pre-meetings and a walk-through, plus a Tech Guide Template and pre-event review, ensured that the event gave participants consistent information and went smoothly.

The guides' personal knowledge and enthusiasm created a great experience for participants. This group continues to meet quarterly as a Tech Advisory Cohort.

Code: Is there anything else you'd like to highlight?

Collett-Miller: The event was highly successful. In a post survey of participants,

• 100% stated that the program met or exceeded their expectations (73% exceeded);
• 98% stated they strongly agreed that the program enhanced their knowledge of smart technology and related opportunities; and
• 40% of those who received a smart home goodie bag responded to a survey asking about their use of the technologies and need for support. We are following up with phone calls to identify opportunities for a training/support model and technology pilots.

Said one pleased participant: "This program exceeded my expectations. It was informative, engaging, and offered considerable food for thought. It was great to be exposed to all of the available options that can make our lives easier."

"Living Smarter at Home" also provided valuable insights for Parker on how aging service providers are approaching innovation, from strategic planning and decision-making to identifying barriers and opportunities. It highlights the thoughtful and forward-looking mindset of communities as they evaluate technologies not just for today's needs, but for tomorrow's possibilities.