This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/homeassistant by /u/ElevationMediaLLC on 2026-02-26 16:30:59+00:00.
Sometimes in life, we don't really realize the ways in which our actions can impact the lives of others. So I just wanted to take a moment here to share something with all of the founders and contributors for Home Assistant and Nabu Casa - right now you are making my life so much better in a meaningful way, as well as that of my 90 year old mother who insists on living independently.
I've been using Home Assistant for several years, but after my mother took a fall in her home in the summer of 2024 I started to think about ways in which it could help me keep an eye on her well-being. I certainly do try to call her every couple of days to ask how she is doing, and she does have a "LifeAlert" style pendant system (no one helping a senior parent live alone should ignore having something like that as well) - but I wanted something more. Cameras aren't a great choice IMO because they feel invasive, and they don't really "know" if something may have happened to proactively alert you, you have to check them constantly.
So I turned to one of the most reliable pieces of software I've seen in decades -- HomeAssistant.
What started as a few motion sensors and some simple notifications has turned into a quiet safety net, and is still actively evolving every day. Now there are countdown timers that fire off alerts if no activity is seen in certain rooms in a certain amount of time. And the best part is, she didn't have to learn anything! Even just basic actions that are familiar to her - turning a light on and off at a wall switch - become a "telemetry signal" that I can pick up on. When you kill the power to the HA lightbulbs in the fixture, they go to "Unavailable" ... that's a sign of activity going on. And when they go from "Unavailable" to "On" that's a sign of activity as well. Water flow rates are another "telemetry signal" I plan to add in soon as well (in addition to all the motion/mmwave sensors that are in there now).
It’s hard to overstate how powerful this can be when you’re trying to balance dignity, safety, and independence for someone you love. What would otherwise likely be a large amount of day-to-day anxiety for me, is largely ameliorated by the fact that I know Home Assistant is just so reliable and that it's always on-the-job.
And now I'm working with SeeedStudio eInk displays to build something we’re going to call her “DayFrame” — a simple, glanceable display that helps her understand what day it is, what’s coming up on her schedule (pulled in from Home Assistant native calendars), and what the rhythm of the day looks like for her, and for her caregivers. I am so excited to build this for her and give her a clear view of her day every day - just by manipulating HA calendar entries on my side.
The fact that I can build something this tailored, this personal, on top of an open platform created by people who care about local control, privacy, and flexibility is pretty amazing. So truly, from the bottom of my heart - thank you so much. From a slightly-over-the-hill son and IT geek who just wants the best for his family ... and on behalf of her, because you are actively helping her every day in her golden years.
Thank you, thank you, thank you...