The Conversation with My Mom I’m Happiest to Have

Because every conversation with your parents doesn’t have to be complicated.

(Part 1 of a Series on Talking to Your Parents About Smart Home Technology)

Lately, I’ve noticed so much advice circulating about “difficult conversations” with aging parents — about health, safety, and planning for the future. It has made me reflect on my own communication with my 85-year-old Mom, who still lives independently in the home she has loved for more than 50 years.

When it comes to talking with my Mom, there’s a lot of history in play. She was the third child of Irish immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in 1929. She grew up during the Great Depression and survived polio as a child. Throughout my life, conversations with Mom were largely practical, direct, and forward moving. There wasn’t a lot of inquiry about feelings, just what needed to get done.

We get dinner on the table. We update her on the kids. What’s on our schedules this week and who’s hosting the next holiday.

And maybe that is why even at age 60, after spending a career in communications, someconversations with partners, friends and family members continue to challenge me. I’m still learning how my tone, timing, and emotional regulation impact the message I’m delivering and the feelings I’m attempting to portray.

But despite my communication pitfalls, there is one conversation I had with my Mom that was easy peasy. It was positive, productive, and showed her how much I care, without requiring either of us to get overly emotional.

It was the conversation about bringing smart home technology into her home.

I work in this space, so I knew what the right system could offer. But knowing something professionally and living it personally are two very different things. I still wondered, would Mom feel like I was questioning her independence? Would she push back?

Now I know, there’s plenty of controversy around technology. Privacy concerns. Visual or audio monitoring. Fear of replacing human care.

But here’s what surprised me.

When I approached this conversation with a little practicality and a lot of love, it felt simple.

I am part of the sandwich generation.  I take care of my son (far away in college and worry about him a bit) and my Mom (lives close by and I worry about her constantly).  With both my son and my mom, I crave three things:

• Communication and connection

• Confidence that they are safe

• And with Mom, if an event or fall happens when I’m not around, automatic emergency response

That’s it. Not control. Not surveillance. Just peace of mind.

And today’s smart home technology developed specifically for older adults can offer exactly that. According to AARP, nearly 75% of adults age 50 and older want to remain in their homes as they age. The desire to age in place isn’t niche, it’s the overwhelming preference. The question isn’t whether our parents want to stay home. It’s how we help them do so safely.

The latest generation of systems — like Wisdom Smart Home — don’t require wearables, buttons, or complicated interaction. They work quietly in the background, using privacy-preserving sensors to detect falls and meaningful changes in routine. If an event occurs, they can escalate to emergency services automatically.

Wisdom Smart Home supports her independence, it does not take it away.

That’s what made this conversation with my mom so different.

I wasn’t asking her to give something up. I was offering her a tool to stay in the home she loves longer — while allowing me to sleep a little better knowing she has a safety net when no caregiver is present.

And instead of resistance, I felt relief, from both of us.

What I’ve learned is this:

Not every conversation with our parents has to feel heavy. Some conversations can feel empowering. When I spoke to my Mom about Wisdom, I approached it as a gift for both of us.

For me, the gift is peace of mind. Now when she leaves my house after dinner, I know if she gets home safely. If she is not downstairs in the kitchen by 8:30 a.m., I will get a friendly alert to check in. If her routine changes, I will know. And if, God forbid, she falls, I know that emergency help is on the way.

For Mom, the gift is knowing I support her desire to stay in her home as long as possible. That I want to see her happy and vibrant living among the walls that witnessed her — and my life. Birthday parties. Proms. Family dinners. A few big fights and a lot of love.

And in a season of life filled with hard discussions — estate planning, health scares, changing roles — it feels good to have at least one conversation that ends with a shared exhale.

At Wisdom, we believe technology should feel invisible, and deeply human. The right smart home system doesn’t replace care. It quietly supports it. And it can open the door to a meaningful conversation around supporting your older adult loved one’s desire to live out their lives in the home they love.

Stay tuned. This is the first in a series of articles that will explore how and why a thoughtfully chosen smart home system can be a wise, supportive choice for the entire family.

And yes, if someone could only invent the smart dorm room version of Wisdom, I’ll be first in line.