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Smart Home Kit Lists

Smart Home Kit Lists

By:  Frank Engelman   |  Posted: April 9, 2021   |  Updated: May 23, 2023

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As we explore various smart home solutions useful for “better aging”, we get requests for some specific “kit lists” that contain a collection of the products needed to implement some of the DIY solutions found on this site.

This page is where we keep the lists of products for each of those “kits”.

Each kit is associated with a specific “solution”, and in some cases with several “solutions”. The right way to think of this kit page is as a reference page.

  • Start by picking a “solution” you want to implement.
  • Then the “solution page” will direct you to this “kit list page” — where you can find the specific products.

Links below in the “kits” go either to the vendor’s website or to our listings database, where you can find a link to the vendor’s website. Often the links are to “Amazon”. In some cases, the links are “affiliate links”, which means that when you buy something using those links the vendor shares a small portion of their revenue with Tech-enhanced Life. This does not affect the price you pay, and we use the proceeds to help fund the costs of providing insights like these to readers for free.

 

Kit Lists Table of Contents

 

 

 

Smart Lighting “Kit Lists”

These kit lists relate to the smart lighting solutions you can see here.

Smart Lighting Kit #1: Bluetooth Smart Bulbs

Equipment

 

Smart Lighting Kit #2: Wi Fi Smart Bulbs

Equipment

 

Smart Lighting Kit #3: Zigbee Smart Bulbs

Equipment

 

Smart Lighting Kit #4: Smart Switch

Equipment

 

 

 

Smart Bathroom Kit List(s)

These kit lists relate to the smart bathroom recipes that you can see here: Smart Bathroom Features for Older Adults.

 

Automatic Bathroom Lights Kit List

For the basic equipment of light(s), and Alexa, use:

  • Smart Lighting Kit #1 (above) and select the Echo Flex (link also in the Smart Lighting Kit #1 above).
  • If you prefer it, you can use the Echo Dot with Clock instead of the Echo Flex.

 

Add the motion sensor. Use either:

 

Add the Alexa Routine:

 

Automatic Toilet Flusher Kit List

Depending on whether your toilet has top mounted buttons or a side handle, choose one of the following:

 

Touchless Faucet & Soap Dispenser

 

Shower Temperature Control Kit List

 

 

 

Smart Bedroom Kit Lists

These kit lists relate to the smart bedroom recipes that you can see here: Smart Bedroom Features for Older Adults.

 

Automatic Bedroom Lighting

For the basic equipment of light(s), and Alexa, use:

 

Smart Lighting Kit #1 (above)

Instead of the Echo Show 8 listed in the above Kit, consider this model which fits well on a small nightstand.

AND

AND an Alexa Routine

 

Automatic Path Lighting from Bed to Bathroom

You can choose either:

Plug in lights (only)

—OR—

Battery-operated lights (only)

—OR—

A combination of plug-in lights and Ring networked step lights (both)

  • All the products from the above two kits.

AND an Alexa Routine

 

Sleep Monitoring Without a Wearable

One of the following sleep sensors:

The IFTT Service (If This Then That)

 

House Door Lock Status

The IFTT Service (If This Then That), and accompanying Alexa Skill, and SmartThings App

Alexa Routines

 

Context aware clock

 

 

 

Smart Kitchen Kit List

These kit lists relate to the smart kitchen recipes that you can see here: Smart Kitchen Features for Older Adults.

 

You need at least one Echo device to be able to speak alerts and reminders to your loved one.

OR

Software used:

Alexa Skills

Mobile apps

 

 

Smart Kitchen Lights Kit List

Battery lights version

Plug in version

Alexa Routines

 

Fridge Minder Kit List

A “hub” for the sensors:

Door sensor version

Temperature Minder version

OR

Alexa Routines:

 

Stove Minder Kit List

Tochtech Smarturns mobile app: Android or iOS

Reminders only version

 

Optional verbal alerts

  • Tochtech Tochie
    • (Use Discount code “Techen2021” for Tech-enhanced Life readers: 15% 0ff).  [affiliate link]
  • Tochie mobile app Android or iO

Stove turn off version

 

Sink Minder Kit List

One of the following faucets:

OR

A YoLink Water Leak Detector (one of the following):

OR

You also need the YoLink Hub:

Alexa Routine (to implement the Sink Minder Feature):

 

Trash Minder Kit List

 

 

 

Smart Living Room Kit List

These kit lists relate to the smart living room recipes that you can see here: Smart Living Room Features for Older Adults.

 

General items

For the basic equipment of light(s), and Alexa, use:

For Alexa and Zoom Calling on TV

 

Alexa Reminders

Lights

Buttons

 

Safety

Doorbell cameras

OR

Smart lock

 

 

 

Dementia Tech Kit Lists

These kit lists relate to a variety of dementia tech solutions elsewhere on Tech-enhanced Life.

 

Dementia Bed Minder

This kit list relates to the Dementia Bed Minder.

Hardware:

Software:

· The IFTT Service (If This Then That)

    • Mobile app- IOS or Android
      • Free account with 3 or less applets

IFTTT applets

Alexa Routine to turn on/off the bathroom door light

See the Tech-enhanced Life Alexa Routine Sample page

 

Dementia Door Minder

This list relates to the Dementia Door Minder.

Hardware:

Software:

  • IFTT Service (If This Then That)- Free account with 3 or less applets — IOS or Android
  • Amazon Alexa Mobile App — IOS or Android
  • YoLink App — Mobile app- IOS or Android
  • Toucan mobile app — IOS or Android (see dementia bed minder kit list)
  • Tochtech Tochie mobile app —  IOS or Android (see dementia bed minder kit list)

Alexa Routines to implement this solution:

Mentioned in article:

 

Daily Family Remembrance Video

See the Solution to “Dementia: Not Recognizing Spouse or Family”

 

The IFTT Service (If This Then That), and accompanying Alexa Skill, and SmartThings App and accompanying Alexa skill.

 

Alexa Routines

 

 

 

Thermostat: Dementia or Low Vision

This Kit List relates to “Smart Thermostat: Dementia or Poor Vision“.

Start with the Thermostat

For more control and notifications, add these:

Add 2 Alexa Routines

Want email notifications? You also need:

 

 

 

Water Leak Solution

This kit list relates to the Water Leak Solution.

Water Leaks Parts List

You also need the YoLink App: YoLink mobile app for IOS or Android

Sample Alexa Routines

See the Tech-enhanced Life Alexa Routine Sample page

  • Water leak announcement:
  • Water leak is gone:

 

 

 

 

Couch Potato Alerts

This kit list relates to the Couch Potato Solution.

Configuration 1- a spoken reminder to stretch

Hardware:

For the YoLink products, see the links in the Water Leak Solution (above).

Configuration 2- adding a reminder light

Hardware: (in addition to the above hardware)

Software:

  • YoLink mobile app (see Water Leak Solution above)

 

 

 

 

Smart Plug with Auto Shutoff

This list relates to the smart plug with auto shutoff solution.

Hardware

Software

Alexa Routines to implement this solution:

 

 

 

Amazon Echo Show Hacks

These kits relate to making Amazon Echo Show fit better into specific “solutions”.

 

Button to Trigger Alexa Routines

Read about this solution. These are different options (you would likely only need one of these).

 

Inadvertent Button and Screen Touches

Read about this solution.

 

Easy TV Remote for Dementia

Read about this solution.

Hardware

and

OR

Alexa Routines to implement this solution:

 

 

 

Amazon Omni TV

Read about this in “How to Use Amazon Omni Fire TV for Zoom Meetings plus Alexa Calling“.

Hardware and Software

Alexa Routine Samples

 

 

 

Smart Home Hacks

Various smart home hacks.Hardware

 

Synchronize Fans and HVAC using Alexa Routines

This kit list refers to Synchronize Fans and HVAC using Alexa Routines.

Hardware

Software

  • Optional- Alexa Skill- IFTTTrigger Mobile app- IOS or Android

Alexa Routine Samples

 

 

Indoor Camera that Looks Outside

This kit list refers to Indoor Camera that Looks Outside (coming soon)

Hardware

Software

Amazon Alexa Mobile App — See Amazon Omni TV Kit List above.

Alexa Routine Samples

 

 

 

Learn More

Below is a list of more “solutions” to problems our smart home DIY solutions are designed to address.

 

DIY Smart Home Solutions

*Disclosure: The research and opinions in this article are those of the author, and may or may not reflect the official views of Tech-enhanced Life.

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In some cases, when we evaluate products and services, we ask the vendor to loan us the products we review (so we don’t need to buy them). Beyond the above, Tech-enhanced Life has no financial interest in any products or services discussed here, and this article is not sponsored by the vendor or any third party. See How we Fund our Work.

Author

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Frank Engelman

Retired Intel Engineer wanting to share DIY technology tips for the children of parents wanting to remain living independently. I like posting ideas and answering technical questions. If a product or software has an issue making it hard for seniors to use, I try to offer workarounds and also try to contact the manufacturer for solutions. I write a column for this website in the Innovation- Homebrew Solutions & Ideas section

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1 thought on “Smart Home Kit Lists”

  1. This is a very useful list
    This is a very useful list and is the single most comprehensive reference I’ve seen. Although I’m fortunate not to be dealing with dementia in my family at the present time, I do have a Down Syndrome daughter and many of the items/solutions apply to her, too. Thank you.

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