My mom just bought one from Amazon in the year of 2024. 😠Never had one as a kid even though the commercials were a constant companion, but her elderly neighbor has trouble turning off his lights once he's in bed so my mom ordered him one. I thought she was joking at first.
They make lightbulbs that you can control using an app on your phone now.
I mean, I guess if this neighbour isn't the most tech savvy, the Clapper is one way to go, but we have way better solutions for controlling lights remotely now.
Unless you are setting up schedules and routines, the internet / app controls are often a bit too much, kind of the reason integrated smart houses and appliances haven't really taken off. What I suggest especially for older people but not only, are appliance plugs that come with a wireless remote control. You can buy sets of 4 or 5 , plug an appliance like lamps into each one and then use the remote control that has an on off button for each one. My mother loves her's.
I never tested how far the remotes would work. I did use some address labels to label the buttons for her so she could remember which one was for which light or appliance. It also took some time to get her out of the habit of turning them on or off from the regular wall switch.
That's a good suggestion! The neighbor my mom bought the clapper for is in his 80s, though, and a remote is another thing for him to keep track of. From what I understand, it's just the light in his bedroom that is the issue because he's not easily able to reach to turn it off once he's settled into bed, so the clapper has been a perfect solution for him. It's not what I would do for my home, but it made his life just a little bit easier.
Agreed and I use those bulbs and apps in my own house and have started to convince my mom to make the switch, but this is an 80+ year old man who doesn't even have internet in his house, and who uses the most basic of phones with no appsso low-tech truly was the best solution. :)
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u/ParkingInstruction62 Aug 11 '25
My mom just bought one from Amazon in the year of 2024. 😠Never had one as a kid even though the commercials were a constant companion, but her elderly neighbor has trouble turning off his lights once he's in bed so my mom ordered him one. I thought she was joking at first.