Smart home devices aren't a substitute for a medical alert system or a human check-in, but they can meaningfully add a layer of passive monitoring.
Useful device categories
- Smart speakers with routines that can call a contact by voice command, useful if you can speak but can't reach a phone
- Motion sensors that alert a trusted contact if no movement is detected by a set time each day
- Smart plugs on a schedule, which double as a simple "someone's likely home" signal to deter concerns or intruders
- Video doorbells, useful both for safety and for screening visitors without answering the door in person
Choose devices with simple voice or single-button interfaces — complexity that's hard to operate during a stressful moment defeats the purpose.