Samsung has introduced SmartThings Family Care, aimed at caregivers. The company says about 1 in 3 adults in the US provides some form of caregiving, according to the Mayo Clinic. This means there’s a need for tech-based solutions to ease the caregiving load, and that’s exactly what SmartThings Family Care is for.
This is a new service available for US-based owners of Samsung smartphones. It goes live tomorrow, and it’s tailored to the aging population along with those who are in need of assistance with their daily activities.
Family Care “harnesses SmartThings, Samsung’s global connected living platform, with Smart home devices to offer comprehensive schedule management, activity notifications, medication reminders, and location-based care”, the company explains in its press release.
With Family Care, caregivers receive alerts if any abnormalities are detected in their loved ones’ daily routines. Family Care can recognize the first activity of the day, such as your loved one using their Samsung smartphone, and will reassure you that they’re okay.
Family members can get reminders to check their blood pressure and blood sugar, and can schedule their doctor’s appointments through their Samsung smartphone or TV to ensure their loved ones are staying on track with their medication.
Caregivers receive alerts when their loved ones arrive at or leave a place, helping to ensure their safety. Samsung says this can be especially useful for scheduled medical appointments or regular visits to pharmacies.
Finally, caregivers can also set up automations to help their loved ones save energy by turning off appliances when no one is home, and improve air quality by automatically activating a Samsung air purifier when outdoor pollutants are high.
The Family Care service will be accessible through the Life tab of the SmartThings app in the US. Samsung promises to continuously improve and expand Family Care in the future.