18 Best Home Devices That Help Aging Space in 2026
The following devices are useful for people who want to continue to live independently but are concerned about security or may need less and less supervision. Regardless of which devices you decide on, older adults and caregivers should have a discussion beforehand about what devices will be installed, what information they can collect, and who will have access and control.
Home security system
This DIY security system works with a wide variety of add-on devices, can be customized to your needs, and is very easy to install and use.
How it helps: Home security systems provide more than just protection from burglaries, as these DIY systems also work with a number of useful devices that make it easy to keep tabs on your home as a whole. Such systems include discrete sensors that alert you when a door or window is left open. Security cameras notify you when visitors of any kind arrive, and record when deliveries arrive. Some systems offer other useful additional devices, such as water leak sensors, glass break sensors, and panic buttons. Simply put, the systems also allow you to manage all these devices using a single smartphone application (instead of combining several).
We strongly recommend adding a professional monitoring system to your security system so that in the event of an alarm, a live person from the call center will notify you directly — and if you are not available, you will notify anyone else you have designated as an emergency contact. The call center can contact the police or fire department if necessary, or if no one is available.
Why choose: A Ring Alarm system can support almost every type of security accessory imaginable, including several options for door and window sensors, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and several types of doorbells and hard-wired and battery-operated cameras. If you want something more advanced, the Ring Alarm Pro system can also improve Wi-Fi coverage in your home and include emergency internet backup (for a fee) and up to 24 additional hours of backup power (with battery packs) in case of interruption. It also offers the most bang for your buck when it comes to hiring professionals ($20 per month or $200 per year).
Another option to consider: If you’re not ready for a whole-house system, the Aqara Door and Window Sensor is an easy-to-use, cost-effective option. These devices can store tabs on doors, windows, and drawers. For example, a sensor on the door can send smartphone alerts whenever someone enters or leaves, or if the door is left open for too long. The sensors require the use of a plug-in called Aqara Hub, but it can support up to 128 sensors and also adds smart-home support so you can pair it with other devices in the house.
Smart video doorbell
This hard-wired doorbell produces sharp 2K images, offers free and paid video storage options, and can distinguish between people, animals, cars, and packages.
How it helps: A smart doorbell camera allows you to monitor anyone who comes to the door, anywhere in the world, regardless of whether the guest rings the bell. When someone rings the bell, you hear it at home but also receive a smartphone notification, allowing you to see in real time who is at your door. But even if someone walks by just to deliver a package, the motion sensors will still detect them and alert you. From there, you can choose to answer the door remotely or keep a record of who comes and goes – and how long they stay.
“Video doorbells are great, especially when [the person living with them is] who have mobility challenges,” said William Dale, MD, PhD, professor and chair of supportive medicine at the Center for Cancer and Aging at City of Hope. “Maybe the house is too big for them, or they have to be in a far part of the house, and getting all the way to the doors becomes a challenge.”
Why choose: The TP-Link Tapo D130 Wired Video Doorbell delivers a clear 2K image and can distinguish whether the action taking place in front of it is due to a person, animal, vehicle, package, or normal movement. It even comes with a plug-in chime that you can place on any outlet or anywhere in the house. It’s easy to use, and great for someone on a budget, because the hardware costs less than $50 and recordings can be stored on a microSD card for free. Or you can pay for cloud-based storage, starting at $3.50 per month for one camera, so you never have to worry about someone stealing a card or a power outage affecting your storage.
Another option to consider: If you don’t have an existing wired doorbell, the TP-Link Tapo D225 is a high-performance 2K battery-powered doorbell camera with the same features as the hard-wired D130. At 5.91 by 1.97 by 1.52 inches, it’s chunkier than the D130. That’s because of the internal battery, which lasts about four months, depending on how much work it takes.
The internal cameras are smart
This camera captures wide motion and sounds, has great image quality, and works with or without a subscription.
How it helps: An indoor camera provides peace of mind when you are away from home, whether you want to monitor your property or your pet. For caregivers, it allows you to remotely monitor visits and movements at home, as well as whether the person is taking their medication. And for families, it allows you to monitor the level of care your loved one is receiving.
“I have a lot of families with cameras,” says Vikki Levine, director of customer services at Ezra Home Care. “In a positive way, it affects the quality of work that our caregivers do. They don’t get away with staying on their phone, because I’ll know about it sooner rather than later.”
All the experts we spoke to were of the opinion that installing indoor security cameras needs to be a decision made between you, your loved one, and any outside help. “Transparency should be clear. No one likes to be hired without knowing,” said Dale of City of Hope. “These types of things should be considered carefully rather than assumed to be correct.” Talk to someone who lives with a camera about why it’s important, how it works, and how you can use it to communicate, as most cameras come with a built-in speaker and microphone.
Why choose: The TP-Link Tapo 2K QHD Security Camera Indoor/Outdoor C120 can distinguish between people, pets, cars, and normal movement, but it’s also inexpensive to operate. You can choose to use a MicroSD card and record 24/7 videos or activated events. It also supports cloud storage, so never worry about accessing content if someone pulls the card or plug; the Tapo Care plan starts at $3.50 a month for one camera and goes up to $7 for two, $10.50 for three, and $12 for up to ten.
Another option to consider: The Tapo C120 supports Alexa and Google Home but not Apple Home. If Apple Home is your ecosystem of choice, or if you want to use Apple HomeKit Secure Video (a free video storage service that comes with paid iCloud plans starting at $1 per camera), we recommend the Eufy Indoor Cam C120. The Eufy camera has the same features as the TP-Link Tapo model but costs less.
Smart locks
This smart lock is easy to install and operate, notifies you when it’s locked or unlocked, and you can activate it with a code or an app.
How it helps: From a security perspective, smart locks are especially useful because there are no keys to lose, and you can be notified whenever someone tampers with the lock. You can also check the status of the locks using your voice or the app, and you can schedule them to lock automatically after a set time, when you leave or come home, and at a set time every night.
Jessica Guthrie, a caregiver and attorney in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said smart locks help her care for her 77-year-old mother, allowing her to bring in home health aides whether she’s at home or out. “It sounds really easy. And I can even lock the door remotely,” she said. “That was all very serious.”
Why choose: The Schlage Arrive Smart WiFi Deadbolt doesn’t have some of the bells and whistles of other smart locks, which we think makes it perfect for this purpose. Arrive is almost as easy as getting set up and running. It has state-of-the-art hardware, and built-in smarts that allow you to lock and unlock the door remotely, as well as check if the door has been left open. And if you or a loved one forgets or misplaces the key, you can use the app to open the door.
Another option to consider: The Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad adds a smart touch to your existing lock, replacing the thumb turn of your deadbolt with devices that can open the lock. It should work with almost any single-cylinder deadbolt out there, and it comes with a wireless keypad for the outside of the door. To use the remote control features, you need to connect the included Wi-Fi hub to any wall outlet.
Water leak sensors
This water leak sensor is easy to set up and use. It responds quickly in the water with a high-pitched siren (87 dB) and quick smartphone alerts.
How it helps: About one in 67 US households each year files an insurance claim related to water damage incidents, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Leaks often occur in hard-to-see and hard-to-reach places, such as under the sink, behind the washing machine, or in the basement water heater. Smart water leak sensors can help by sending you a smartphone notification as soon as water is found. The best models have advanced alarms and the ability to integrate with smart-home platforms for smart alerts. We also recommend that alerts can be silenced in the app, so you don’t need to physically reach the detector (or wade through water) to set off the alarm.
Why choose: The YoLink Water Leak Sensor 4 requires a YoLink Hub, which you can purchase separately or as part of a multi-sensor bundle. The YoLink leak sensor is one of the few that will have both top and bottom sensors, making it versatile – in our tests, both sensors detected water within two seconds. When water touches the probes in the sensor, it sends a signal to the hub, which emits an 87-decibel alarm and also sends a smartphone alert so you can take care of the issue.
YoLink also sends a smartphone alert if the sensor isn’t connected to the Internet, which is very useful — after all, a sensor that can’t send alerts isn’t that useful. It also has a timer in the app to ensure the sensor won’t beep endlessly after getting water. If you don’t want to buy a hub, or if you prefer to work with Google Home, we recommend the Kidde Water Leak + Freeze Detector.
