The holidays are here again and everyone is looking for unique gift ideas. Here’s a list of gift suggestions that that are original, useful and affordable – and sure to bring a smile to those special people on your shopping list.
For Grandparents and Seniors
Amplified Alarm Clock with Wireless Vibrating Pad & Telephone Signaler – Do you know someone who is hard-of-hearing or hard to wake up, or both? This extra loud alarm clock wakes deep sleepers with a loud 90dB signal and/or vibration. The Amplicom TCL 200 Digital Alarm Clock can also signal incoming phone calls. Now offered for $73.00.
Wireless Motion Detector – No one wants to be surprised by strangers at the door. With this wireless passive infrared sensor, grandma can monitor an entrance, walkway or other covered location up to 600 feet away and be warned when a person or vehicle approaches. The Dakota Alert IRWR-3000 Wireless PIR is sold as a kit for $149.99. Extra sensors can be added.
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So you know you want to be able to control the thermostat in your home or business from a remote location, but you can’t decide between an Internet thermostat, a WiFi thermostat and a phone thermostat. All three options give you the ability to adjust temperature remotely and all are similarly priced starting at around $200. So how do you choose?
Selecting the best remote thermostat system for your situation involves a quick analysis of your communications setup and control preferences. Here is what you need to consider:
Communications Setup
If there is a high-speed Internet connection (i.e., modem and router) in your home or business, you can choose between an Internet thermostat and a WiFi thermostat. Both will allow you to control the temperature remotely from anywhere using any Internet-enabled computer or smart phone.
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If you’re a snowbird who will be heading south soon to escape the cold winter months, here’s a list of steps you can follow to winterize your home and protect your property before you go. Investing the extra time to properly prepare and secure your home before you depart will free you from the worries of leaving an empty house and minimize costly repair bills.
Yard – Clean gutters to prevent ice dams and allow melting snow to drain away from the house (and not into the basement); trim tree branches located near the home and power lines; arrange for a snowplow service to plow driveway and shovel walkway so your home looks occupied after major snowstorms. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re like many adults today whose aging parents still live independently in their own home, a phone thermostat is something that can make your job of monitoring their well-being a whole lot easier! Ensuring that mom and dad are comfortable, safe and healthy during a summer heat wave or winter deep freeze can be a challenge, especially if they live far away. So having the ability to discreetly monitor and adjust the temperature in their home by phone is an invaluable tool that caregivers like you will appreciate.
Eldercare experts note that there are many reasons the elderly neglect to properly heat and cool their homes, including forgetfulness and frugality. Fear of crime is another factor that keeps many seniors from opening windows, even on stifling hot days. According to Richard Della Penna, Chief Medical Officer of Independa, Inc. and a leading expert on elder care, extreme temperatures can be life-threatening to older adults.
“The elderly are at greater risk than the general population during extremely hot weather because our bodies don’t respond to changes in temperature in the same way as we get older,” Della Penna says. “Beyond causing discomfort, sustained heat and humidity are dangerous for older people.”
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