By: Frank Engelman | Posted: February 11, 2022 | Updated: April 18, 2023
When you buy something we recommend, we may get an affiliate commission — but it never affects your price or what we pick. Learn more
The Problem to be Solved
Spends too Much Time on the Couch
If you are looking for a way to help grandpa in remembering to get up and stretch, I have a solution for you. In fact, I’m guilty of spending most of my day on the couch and use this solution to remind me to get up and stretch at least once an hour. I’ve been using this for about a year now and I find that it really helps.
Here is my solution for a way to help me avoid sitting for too long on the couch — an occupational hazard for some retirees.
In this couch potato solution, I have it set up so that if I spend too long sitting it:
beeps;
speaks to me with a prerecorded message in the voice of my choosing;
turns on a special light to remind me it is time for a stretch.
See the Couch Potato Solution in action in this video.
Simplest Solution
Caption- Chair pressure mat with sensor and receiver
The simplest solution consists of a pressure sensitive mat that is used on wheelchairs in facilities, connected to a sensor that sends wireless signals to a receiver. The sensor detects that I’ve been sitting there for an adjustable time, one hour in my case, then the receiver alerts me that it’s time to get up.
That’s great, but my grandpa would NOT understand beeps as a warning to get up
Better than “Beeps”
In addition to “beeps”, I used a YoLink SpeakerHub (receiver) that can provide spoken messages to your grandpa to encourage him to get up. You can personalize these messages even greeting him by name.
Hard of Hearing
Whoops, my grandpa is hard of hearing
You can add a YoLink smart plug that can turn on a special light to let him know it’s time for a stretch. In my case I use the “couch potato” light to get my attention
Setting it Up
OK, what does it take to do this?
Since all the hardware is YoLink, you can adjust the sitting duration and change the spoken reminder with just two YoLink automations.
After you create your loved one’s YoLink account, and add the devices per the YoLink setup guide, then type in the YoLink automations shown in the KitList
The amount of time he is detected sitting and the actual messages are adjusted by you in the YoLink mobile app. This can even be done remotely if you log into his YoLink account. Please note that there is a maximum delay of 60 minutes and a maximum number of 3 delay steps in the current YoLink firmware.
Caption- Water leak sensor used as chair pad sensor
The “pad sensor” used is actually a YoLink water leak sensor and it’s sensing the chair pad contact closure as a “water Leak”
The Kit List
To find the exact products mentioned below, and see the routines mentioned, go to our kit list page:
Specific apps mentioned here can be found in the Kit List (see above).
Install the YoLink mobile app for IOS or Android on your phone.
Create a YoLink account for your loved one
The steps to configure SpeakerHub and devices are covered in the manuals provided in the YoLink box
Caption- YoLink automation couch occupied
Caption- YoLink Automation couch unoccupied
Tips & Tricks
1. Chair pad would not be very comfortable if used loose on the couch. I’d suggest a thin pad over it. Just be careful that it doesn’t get wedged up or it could cause false readings. 2. You may want to add additional sounds or spoke messages in the YoLink automations when your loved one sits down or gets up.
For example:
When first sitting down- “Grandpa, a little rest now”
When getting up- “Grandpa, enjoy your stretch”
3. If you find that your loved one seems to ignore the light or the initial verbal reminder, you might want to consider add a repeating reminder. This can be done by:
Setting the Alert Interval on the pad sensor to the repeat time you want, e.g. 5 minutes
Creating a scene that flashes the light and speaks a different reminder
Creating an alarm strategy that triggers that scene
Disabling the alarm strategy as the pad is occupied
Enabling the alarm strategy as the initial timeout occurs
Disabling the alarm strategy as the pad becomes unoccupied
Caption- Alert interval
Caption- Alarm strategy
Caption- Couch too long scene
The Kit List
To find the exact products mentioned below, and see the routines mentioned, go to our kit list page:
*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.
If you use the links on this website when you buy products we write about, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate or other affiliate program participant. This does not affect the price you pay. We use the (modest) income to help fund our research.
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.
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
