Chronic Illness can wreck havoc on our day to day lives. For someone who is bedridden or housebound by chronic illness, or is just exhausted after a day at work, taking care of your home can just be one more task to tip us over the edge. If only there were something to make it easier on us? Well of course there are
With today’s technology there are numerous options available to make your home a smart home. There is nothing wrong with making life a little easier on ourselves by having items that help us automate our lifestyle. Check out some of these home goods that can help you add more time back into your day.
P.S. A lot of these products suggested are off Amazon. If you don’t have a prime membership, I suggest you check them out. I have been using Amazon for years and the prime membership is a life saver. I order all my home goods, supplements, etc from the comfort of my bed and they all arrive in just 2 days.
If you don’t already have a membership, try it for 30 days free!
We have a DEEBOT at home and this vacuum is a life saver. Although we don’t track a lot of dirt into the house, we do have a dog and he sheds daily. Deebot makes it easy to have clean floors and a dust free home.
You can set it up so that it runs at the same time every day and the only thing you have to do is empty the dirt once a week. It amazingly gets the majority of the dirt in your home!
The one thing we love to watch is how close it gets to the stairs, but never tumbles down. 😛
Check out all the types of Robitic Vaccums out there!
There are two main smart speakers out there that people usually buy depending on their needs. As Gary Vaynerchuck predicts, AI voice is going to be the future of smart technology. With either of these smart devices you can make commands to play music, schedule events, ask questions, get news updates ets.
When you have a chronic illness, a smart speaker will be super helpful because you can make voice commands across the room. You can also purchase other smart devices that are compatible with your smart speaker to create a smart phone. You will soon be able to control many aspects of your home by voice and by your smart phone.
We have an Amazon Echo at home and mostly use it to play music, ask questions, set timers, etc. A great use of the Echo is to streamline your home by using other Echo compatible devices like I listed below!
Are you in your bedroom? No you can ask Alexa to turn off your lights, turn down your thermostat or even lock your front door. On your down time, you can call a friend or even drop into other rooms of your home and make an announcement.
What makes the Amazon Echo more amazing than the Google Home is its ability to link up with your amazon account. Need to reorder your multivitamins? Make the purchase by asking Alexa right from bed.
Just like the Amazon Echo, the Google Home has many applications and you can use it with just voice command. Schedule appointments, ask it your questions, play some meditation music… the list goes on.
Google works with many brands to allow you to create a seamless smart home. Unable to make a healthy meal tonight? Ask google what local restaurants deliver.
One of the best advantages of having a Google Home over an Amazon Echo is that Google has all the answers. Amazon’s Echo does not have the same capability in answering all your wild answers because it is not a search engine like Google.
If you are a frequently googler, Google Home may be the smart speaker for you.
There are a variety of smart light bulbs on the market that are compatible with the Alexa or Google Assistant. Even if you don’t have a smart speaker, you can control the lights from an app on your phone.
With these lights you can turn them on and off, dim them, change colors, and even schedule them.
My light switch is not near my bed, but I don’t know about you, but shutting off the lights at night is way easier from the phone I leave by my bedside.
You can control your smart outlets from anywhere as long as you have the app on your phone. Use the smart outlets for any small appliances. Turn lights on and off before coming home or entering a room or schedule certain outlets to be turned on.
Many of us with chronic illness tend to have trouble controlling our internal body heat. I know this is the case for me. One minute I am in bed hot and the other I am cold.
With a smart thermostat, you can control the device from your phone or smart hub. Set the temperature to cool at bedtime and to heat up an hour before you wake.
Forget to turn the heat down when you leave your home? You can control the thermostat from an app.
While we are taking care of ourselves, we can’t forget Fido! I love having a dog, but one of the hardest things for me sometimes is feeding him when I am unwell. His food is in the basement and my room is on the 2nd floor.
Life would be much easier if his meals were timed. Most of the time, I am still in bed, when I should have fed the dog earlier. I also tend to takes naps in the afternoon. Having a timed meal at 4pm would make life easier for myself and my pets.
If you take multiple medications and supplements daily, the Hero Medication Dispenser may be an amazing device for you. Never forget your medication again.
This device sorts and manages up to 10 medications at a touch of a button. Using audible and visual reminders, Hero helps you keep everything on track.
When I started taking my new medication, I took my medication three times a day, 4-6 hours apart. I had chronic brain fog and was greatly fatigued so I often would forget when I took my pills and when to take the next one.
If you have trouble remembering when to take your medication, this medication tracker may be a great solution for you. This device tracks when you have taken your medication and warns you if you’ve already taken your dose. You can add reminders with the app and automatically notify a loved one when the medications were taken.
It’s no secret that we spend a lot of time in our rooms resting. Having a smart diffuser helps keep the air fresh and pure. This smart diffuser allows you to control the strength and timing of the device.
Use different essential oils to change the mood of the room.
Often those with a chronic illness are sensitive to light and temperature. This is like a three for one. The smart blind is an attachment you add to your existing blinds. It is solar powered and can be controlled with your phone or Google or Alexa device.
Not only will you be able to easily control your blinds from your device, but you will be saving energy and money by using smart blinds.
Are there any other smart home devices that have helped you? Share them in the comments below!
5 Bedroom Essentials for the Bedridden
When you have a chronic illness, you often spend a lot of time in bed. I suffer from ME/CFS, so I know what it is like to be bedridden many days of the week. In order to make myself comfortable and to either entertain or get some work done, I have a few essentials.
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