monitoring systems for seniors
For example, LifeShield's Security Essentials system will cost you $29. 99 per month for three years and includes monitoring, but you'll pay a $99 activation fee and you don't own the equipment at the end of the lease. Or, you can pay $299. 99 upfront for the
hardware and still get monitoring but avoid the activation fee. If you live in a small apartment and want to keep tabs on things when you're not home, a security camera can get the job done for a lot less money than what you'll pay for a full security system. Nearly all
standalone security cameras connect to your home's Wi Fi so you can see what's going on from your phone or tablet, and most have built in sensors that detect motion and sound and will send push and email notifications when those sensors are triggered. You can usually tweak the camera's motion sensitivity to prevent false alarms due to pet activity or passing cars if the camera is near a window, and you can create a schedule that turns the sensors on and off during certain hours of the day. A smart lock is typically part of a robust smart home security setup, but you don't have to invest in a full blown system to use one. If you're using a home automation hub to control things like lighting and thermostats, you can add a Z Wave or Zigbee smart lock to the system without much effort. Alternately, if you don't have a home automation hub, look for a Wi Fi or Bluetooth lock that comes with its own mobile app. For example, you can create rules to have the lights turn on when motion is detected, have your doors unlock when a smoke alarm goes off, and have a camera begin recording when a sensor is triggered.Some systems store recorded video locally on an SD card or a solid state drive, while others offer cloud storage.Locally stored video is a good choice for do it yourselfers on a budget, but you have to be careful not to *overwrite video you may need later.Cloud *storage makes it easy to store and access recorded video, but *it can cost hundreds of dollars per year depending on your subscription.Some *systems offer both cloud storage and local storage, *and some provide a dedicated storage drive that gives you DVR capabilities with time lapse recording, which makes it easy to find a video event that took place at a specific point in time.
LunaAll of the systems we've *tested feature an app that lets you
pandouse your smartphone as your* command center to arm and disarm the system, create rules, add and delete components, and receive push notifications when alarms
Alarm Panelare triggered.Most apps also allow you to do things like
Motion Activated CameraCove Alarm Panelrecorded *video, lock and unlock doors, *change thermostat settings,
Glass break sensorand silence alarms.Some apps
Alder Youtube Videowill even use your phone's location services to *automatically arm and disarm the system according to your physical
Alarm app for Alderlocation.The
Alder Jobs Indeedmore expensive systems usually come with
Alders jobs and companya wall
Smart Smoke Detectormounted *panel that acts as a communications* hub, with
Luna smoke detectora touch screen display that allows you to do everything the app does.The display
Cellular Alarm Monitoringlets you* communicate with a professional monitoring* service
Rapid SOSwhen an alarm is triggered and view video from any of the installed security cameras.While many systems use wireless components that are installed using
Cove Security Reviewsdouble sided tape, some high end systems use components that require professional *installation.
Smart locks use standard pre drilled holes and are fairly easy to install.
Here are a few: Kevo Smart Lock Kevo Kevo is a Bluetooth enabled deadbolt that can turn your smartphone into a key. It locks and unlocks with a touch of a finger while your smartphone remains in your purse or pocket, eliminating the need to fumble for keys. It is powered by four AA batteries that last up to a year. Using an iPhone or an Android app see which devices are supported, Kevo can be programmed to allow access to select individuals and during specific times. No smartphone?No problem. You can open the lock using Bluetooth fobs one comes bundled, additional ones are sold separately, which can be configured according to your specifications.