Samsung has introduced SmartThings Family Care, aimed at family caregivers. According to the company, approximately 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. provides some form of caregiving, according to the Mayo Clinic. This means there is a need for technology-based solutions to help ease the caregiving burden, which is exactly what SmartThings Family Care is for.
This is a new service available to US owners of Samsung smartphones, going live tomorrow, and is geared toward the aging population and those who need help with their daily activities.
Family Care “leverages SmartThings, Samsung’s global connected living platform, in combination with smart home devices to provide comprehensive schedule management, activity notifications, medication alerts, and location-based care,” the company explained in a press release.
With Family Care, caregivers receive notifications when abnormalities are detected in their loved one’s 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 are doing well.
Family members can receive reminders to check their blood pressure and blood sugar levels and schedule doctor appointments through their Samsung smartphone or TV to ensure their loved ones take their medication on time.
Caregivers will receive notifications when their loved ones arrive or leave a location, helping to keep them safe. Samsung says this could be especially helpful for scheduled medical appointments or regular trips 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 pollution levels 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.