Coming home to an empty house is fine most days, but now and then you may wonder what would happen if you fell or couldn’t get to the phone. This guide to must-have products for elderly people living alone is meant to ease that worry.
It covers fall detection and medical alert systems, bathroom safety, help with buttons, zippers and keys, safer cooking, easy-to-use phones and clocks, and pill reminders. I name the downsides of each, so you don’t waste your money.
NOMO Fall Detection Medical Alert System
This is one of those gadgets you hope never to use but are glad to have in the house. The NOMO Smart Care Medical Alert System watches for falls using your home WiFi, with no camera in the home.
You wear a tag, and if it detects a fall, it sends a real-time alert to your Care Circle, the family members or friends you choose. The Hub also has two-way voice, so a caregiver can talk to you directly without placing a phone call.
Setup is plug and play. No technician and no wiring.
Two things to know before you buy. It depends entirely on WiFi, so if your home internet goes down, the alerts stop. It also works only in the home, so it is not a help button to take with you on a walk or to the store.
The 24/7 professional emergency response is part of a monthly subscription that begins after the 60-day trial. If you want help on the go, or you don’t want a subscription, a different kind of alert button may suit you better.
Joiify Suction Grab Bars
While you’re kitting out your bathroom, stop to think a moment about slips and falls. The Joiify Suction Grab Bars come as a pack of two, and each handle is 14.4 inches long. They need no drilling and no tools.
Each one has a red pressure indicator. If the suction seal starts to lose its grip, the indicator shows it before you lean on the bar. The textured ABS grip is made to hold up with wet, soapy hands. The indicator is a good idea, because you can see the seal’s condition instead of guessing.
They go on and come off in seconds without damaging the wall. That suits renters, and it suits anyone who wants a handle to take along when traveling.
There are limits. The bar needs a smooth, sealed, non-porous surface. It won’t hold on small tile, grout lines, or textured walls.
It is also not a substitute for a bar mounted into a wall stud. If you or someone you love is at real risk of falling, have a permanent bar installed. Use the suction bar as extra help, and check the indicator each time before you put weight on it.
VOCIC Electric Seat Lift Assist
Most of us have a favorite chair or sofa that is hard to get out of. The VOCIC Electric Seat Lift Assist is a powered cushion you sit on, and it raises you from seated to standing along a slow, controlled arc.
It moves gradually, not with a sudden spring jolt, and you don’t need another person to help. It has a wired remote with large buttons, so there is nothing to charge, pair, or lose behind the cushions. It is rated for up to 400 pounds.
It also moves from room to room by its handle, with no tools or reinstalling. That said, it weighs 16.5 pounds with the cord attached, so carrying it takes a bit of effort.
The main catch is that it needs a wall outlet close by. Think through where the cord will run before you pick your spot, so it isn’t across a walkway.
It suits someone who wants to get up from a favorite seat without asking for a hand each time. If you want something with no cord at all, this isn’t it.
EZclicker Big Button TV Remote
If you have a TV, a streaming stick, a cable box, and a few other gadgets, you probably have a pile of remotes that all look alike. Most of them have rows of small buttons for things you never use.
The EZclicker Big Button Universal TV Remote cuts all that down. It has large, high-contrast buttons and far fewer of them, so you can turn the TV on and off and change the volume without hunting.
The buttons are shaped differently from each other, so you can find the right one by touch without looking down. With fewer buttons, you are also less likely to land on a menu or screen you don’t recognize.
It pairs with major TV brands without a code book, which saves a lot of squinting at tiny numbers.
Now the catches. It controls TVs only, so a cable box, streaming stick, or soundbar will still need its own remote. Setup also means holding down two buttons at once, which can be hard if your hands have limited strength. A family member or caregiver may want to do that step for you.
Keep the old remotes in a drawer for the rare day you need them.
NuWave Induction Cooktop
Prevent cooking fires with an induction cooker and induction-capable cookware. An induction cooktop doesn’t use a flame or traditional ‘heating element’.
The pan gets hot, but the cooktop itself doesn’t heat up as much. It may become warm, so still take care around it.
Many induction cooktops shut off automatically if there is no pan or after a set time, so check the model. The pan and the glass around it can still be hot, so be careful. That makes induction cookers a handy choice for anyone who is busy, tired, or stressed, whether that’s a senior citizen or a busy parent.
Read about other safe electric cookers for seniors in this guide.
RMS Button Hook Assist Device
The RMS Button Hook with Zipper Pull is a dressing aid for anyone whose hands make buttons and zippers a struggle. That includes arthritis, weak hands, stiff hands, or trouble with finger coordination.
You slip the smooth wire loop through the buttonhole, catch the button, and pull it back through. The loop is made not to snag, so you don’t have to pinch and twist a small button with your fingers.
The same tool has a built-in zipper pull, which helps with zippers on shirts, jackets, pants, or coats. The handle is wide and ribbed, so it’s easy to hold without slipping and it’s gentler on your hand over repeated use.
One thing to know: it takes a little practice to get the rhythm, and it only helps with buttons and zippers. Tiny buttons, or a hand that can’t hold a handle at all, may still be a struggle.
Still, getting dressed on your own is worth protecting, and this is a simple way to do it.
CooBigo Zipper Pull Replacement
Zippers are small, and small things get hard to grip, especially with arthritis or an old hand injury. A zipper pull that is easy to hold can make the difference between dressing yourself and waiting for help.
These CooBigo zipper pulls come in a pack of 12. Each one has a nylon cord with a textured, non-slip rubber handle that is curved for a better grip. The total length is 2.59 inches, and the handle is 1 inch.
You loop one onto a zipper, and it gives you extra length to pull on. That also makes them handy for replacing a broken pull on a jacket, boot, backpack, purse or suitcase. You can work the zipper without taking your gloves off, too.
One trade-off: they add length, but they don’t reach behind your back. If a dress zipper in the middle of your back is the problem, you will want a dressing aid with a long handle instead. They are also a better fit for a zipper that still works than for one with a broken slider.
Remedic Eye Drop Guide
The Remedic Eye Drop Guide holds the dropper steady and rests on your cheek to help keep the lid open. It only fits certain bottles, so check the size first. Ask a pharmacist if you are unsure.
Antiscald Faucet Attachment
This simple thermostatic device will reduce water flow from a faucet to just .25 gpm if the temperature of the water exceeds 117 deg F.
It’s super-easy to install and incredibly useful for preventing accidental scalds and burns, not just for seniors, but visiting children too.
If you sometimes find yourself fighting with your boiler or plumbing, give this device a look. It could save some nasty accidents, and it’s an affordable way of protecting yourself and your family.
Squatty Potty Toilet Stool
Some people find that sitting on a tall toilet makes it harder to fully empty their bowels. If digestion is a concern, check with your doctor.
The Squatty Potty is a simple stool that raises your feet while you use the toilet, which changes your posture.
It may sound silly until you try it, but you may find it more comfortable.
RainBowl Motion Sensor Night Light
Getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night is a fact of life for some people, and it can be annoying to try to do so without waking your spouse, or even just without having to turn on blinding bright lights that will shock you ‘awake’ and make it hard to go back to sleep.
This motion sensor LED light triggers when you move the toilet seat, and can illuminate the toilet bowl in one of 16 colors, or rotate them for a fun effect.
You can choose the brightness level, and it lets you get the job done without having to turn on every light in the house!
ClearSounds Amplified Landline Phone
With chunky, large buttons, photo frame memory buttons and call amplification, this landline phone for seniors is designed to be easy to use if you have low vision or hearing loss.
It works with hearing aids and cochlear implants and has both handset and speakerphone functionality. Choose from an audible ringer, or a visual flasher, or both, to ensure that you never accidentally miss an incoming call.
Dext Key Turner Assist Device
Security matters when you live alone, and it’s not something people like to ask for help with. If a key is hard to pinch and turn, locking up when you leave the house can turn into a daily struggle.
The Dext Keywing is a key turner that clicks onto a flat key. It makes a cap you can use as a thumb turn, so you pinch less and get extra leverage. That means less strength is needed to hold and turn the key, which can ease hand and wrist pain. It comes as a pack of three.
It’s made for people with arthritis, Parkinson’s, or weak or sore hands. The dimpled domes give your fingers a firm place to grip, which helps keep keys from slipping out of your hand at the door. The body is nylon, which feels warmer to the touch than cold metal.
The bright colors are a nice extra. If you give each key its own color, you can tell them apart without fumbling through the whole ring.
One thing to know: it’s made for flat keys. If your keys are a different style, it won’t be the right fit.
Nobody should be stuck at home because they’re worried about locking up properly.
Amazon Basics Aerobic Exercise Stepper
Dodgy knees, weak ankles, stiff hips. Nagging aches and pains are common, and they don’t have to stop you doing the things you love.
Whether you’re struggling with mobility all the time, or just find that in the colder months you really do ‘feel it in your bones’, gentle movement at home can help.
The Amazon Basics Aerobic Exercise Step Platform is a 27-inch stepper that comes with stackable 4-inch and 6-inch risers. You can start low and add height as you get stronger.
The top has a non-slip textured surface, and the feet are non-skid. It supports up to 400 pounds, and the risers store under the platform when you’re not using them.
It’s made for cardio and strength exercises, and it suits all fitness levels. Many people also use a portable step like this to practice stepping up, or as a low step at home.
One thing to know: it has no handrail and nothing to hold onto. If your balance is shaky, set it beside a sturdy counter or chair, or choose a step with a handle instead.
INSTACAN Electric Jar Opener
A jar that won’t open can stop a meal before it starts. Tight lids are a common frustration, and they are not a sign you are doing anything wrong.
The INSTACAN electric jar opener is made for this. You press one button, and it grips the lid and turns it for you. It stops when the jaws reset, so there is no wrestling with it. That means less hand strength and less wrist twisting, which helps if you have arthritis or weak hands.
The jaws adjust to fit lids from 1.2 to 3.5 inches, so it works on most everyday jars like pasta sauce, jam and pickles. It runs on 2 AA batteries, which are not included, so you will need to have some on hand. The compact design fits in a kitchen drawer or cabinet.
One trade-off: it is made for glass jars with twist-off lids. It won’t help with pull-tab cans or anything outside the size range. It is also one more gadget to store and keep batteries in, so if you only fight with a jar now and then, a simple rubber grip pad may be enough.
American Lifetime Dementia Clock
We joke about not knowing what day it is, but it stops being funny when it means a missed medication or a missed appointment.
This clock shows the time, the day of the week, and the date on a large display. The numbers are clear and high contrast, so they can be read even in low light.
It also has custom alarms. You can set them for the things you don’t want to miss, like pills or a phone call.
It comes with a manual written to be easy to follow, and setup is meant to be simple. A day clock is most useful when someone sets it up once and then leaves it alone.
The trade-off is that it is a clock and nothing more. It won’t tell anyone whether a pill was already taken, so if that is the worry, pair it with a pill organizer.
Talking Reminder Clock
A pill organizer shows you what to take, but it can’t tell you when. A phone alarm can, but a beep is easy to wave off, and a lot of phone reminders need an app set up first. A talking reminder clock is a plain bedside or kitchen clock that says a message out loud at the time you choose. Some let you record the message yourself, so it can be a daughter, a husband or a grandchild saying “time for your pills” instead of a beep.
Here’s what to look for. First, how many alarms it holds. Some only allow three, which won’t cover a schedule with several doses a day. Second, the volume. Check that it has a setting loud enough for you, because a few levels may not be enough if your hearing is poor. Third, how it runs. A rechargeable one saves buying batteries, but you still have to remember to plug it in. Last, make sure it works on its own, without Wi-Fi or an app, and that the buttons and numbers are big enough to use without squinting.
Bovintex Medication Pill Reminder
This is a small talking alarm clock that lets you record your own voice messages as medication reminders. A daughter, spouse or grandchild can say “Time for your pills, Mom,” and that is what plays when the alarm goes off, instead of a beep.
I like that it works on its own. There is no app, no Wi-Fi and no Bluetooth to set up. It recharges with a USB cable, and the battery is rated for 30 days between charges, so there are no small batteries to swap out.
The trade-off is that it holds only three alarms. If you take pills at several different times a day, or on a complicated schedule, three won’t cover it. It also has three volume levels, which suits mild hearing loss but may not be loud enough if hearing loss is more significant.
It suits someone with a simple routine, like morning, midday and evening, who would respond better to a familiar voice than to a buzzer.
Key Lock Boxes for Letting Trusted People In
If you live alone, sooner or later someone needs to get into your house when you can’t get to the door. It might be a daughter, a neighbor, a home health aide, or the paramedics. A key lock box is a small, sturdy box that holds a spare key and opens with a code. The people you trust get in, and you don’t have to hand out copies of your key or leave one under the doormat. (Burglars know about the doormat.)
Here is what to look for. Pick one that is weatherproof if it will hang outside, since rain and ice can jam a cheap one. Look for large buttons that are easy to press, and a code you can change yourself. Then you can reset it after a repair visit or a new caregiver, with no locksmith needed. Check that it is big enough for your keys, because some are smaller than they look in the picture. Know the downside too: it only works as well as it is mounted. It needs to be screwed firmly into something solid. Brick or concrete takes more time and the right drill bit, so you may want to ask a handy neighbor or family member to help.
Vewaci Wall-Mounted Key Lock Box
If you live alone, there will come a day when someone needs to get in and you can’t get to the door. A family member, a nurse, or a neighbor checking on you may be the one standing outside. A key lockbox solves that without cutting extra keys or hiding one under the doormat, which is the first place anyone looks.
The Vewaci Wall-Mounted Key Lock Box mounts to an outside wall and opens with a 12 digit combination. You can reset the code yourself, so after a caregiver or contractor has come and gone, you change it and that’s that. No locksmith needed.
The keypad buttons are oversized, which helps if your fingers are stiff or you have limited dexterity. It holds standard house keys, car keys, and access cards, and it is made for outdoor use.
The trade-offs: putting it up takes longer on masonry (brick or concrete) than on other wall types, so you may want a handy relative or neighbor to help. Also, no independent weatherproof rating is given, so if you live somewhere very wet, consider a spot under cover.
Easy-to-Use Kitchen Tools
Living alone means you are the cook, the dishwasher, and the person who has to get into every can and jar. A manual can opener asks for a firm grip and a lot of twisting, and if your hands or wrists get sore from it, soup for lunch stops sounding like a good idea. A kitchen tool that does the hard part for you can make everyday meals less of a chore.
When you shop for one, look for a single button or a simple motion, so you are not working out a lot of steps. Check how it is powered, since a rechargeable one saves you from buying batteries, but you will need to remember to charge it. Look for a clean edge that will not cut your fingers, and read the fine print on which can sizes it fits. Almost nothing in the kitchen works on every can, and it is better to find that out before you buy.
YARRAMATE Electric Can Opener
Opening a can sounds simple until the grip and wrist twist of a manual opener becomes a struggle. The YARRAMATE Electric Can Opener takes that part away. You press one button and it starts, and you press it again to stop. No gripping, no cranking.
It cuts from the side, which leaves a smooth edge on both the can and the lid. That means less chance of nicking a finger when you lift the lid out. It recharges with a USB-C cable (included), so there are no batteries to keep buying. It also comes with a storage bag.
It suits anyone with arthritis, weak hands, or sore wrists who still wants to cook from cans. It takes a few seconds per can, so it is not instant.
The trade-off is that it won’t work on every can. Pull-tab cans, cans that aren’t round, and cans with a damaged rim are out. Keep a simple manual opener in the drawer for those.
Easy-to-Use Phones for Staying in Touch
When you live alone, the phone is how help gets called and how family checks in. It only works if you can hear it ring, find the right number, and press the right buttons without a fuss. Many modern phones make that harder than it needs to be, with tiny keys, menus, and screens that go to sleep right when you need them.
Look for a phone with big keys and large print that is easy to read, and a ringer loud enough to hear from another room. A separate volume control for the handset helps if you have trouble hearing. Speed dial buttons that someone can set up ahead of time are handy, and photos on those buttons make them even easier to use. A corded phone plugs into the wall jack and keeps working when the power goes out, but the cord limits how far you can walk with it. Check that it works with your phone service before you buy, since some digital and internet-based services need an adapter.
Big Button Phone for Seniors
This is a corded landline with ten photo buttons. You or a family member set each button to a person’s number and put their picture on it. To call, the person just presses the face they know. No menus, and no phone numbers to remember.
It suits someone with memory challenges, low vision, or stiff fingers. The number keys are extra large with high-contrast labels, which helps prevent misdialed numbers. The ringer goes up to 110dB, and a separate switch controls the handset volume, so hearing loss is covered without digging through settings.
There is a One-Touch Speed Dial Mode that turns off the number keypad completely. If you use it, program 911 and any other emergency numbers first, because nobody can dial anything else once it is on.
The trade-off is that it has no battery backup. If the power goes out, the phone goes silent. Keep a charged cell phone nearby for those times.
What other gadgets and products for elderly people living alone should make the list? Tell me about some helpful products that you have used and helped make life a little easier for you or a senior you love.
Hi Scott,
I have just found your info online and am so impressed with your business. I am an OT- am always looking for new products and services to share with my clients (& parents ????). I will definitely be promoting you and letting people know about your site. I especially enjoy your newsletter! Keep it up!!!
Hi Susan! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know. It’s comments like this that keep me going! Feel free to reach out at anytime with questions. My email address is on the contact page. Thanks!