My husband and I have always agreed, from early on, that we never wanted our parents to end up in a home. So long as they were medically ok, we wanted to be able keep them in their homes for as long as possible and then even move them in with us if need be. Now, these things are becoming more and more of a reality, and I have to admit it is quite concerning. My parents, for the most part are still very self sufficient. My husband’s mom, now a widow, is a totally different story. We have many concerns over her well being during the average day and are trying to find solutions that will allow her to remain in her home. We have removed many obstacles that could pose a falling risk and taken care of many of the physical things. The things we can not control are things like, leaving the stove on, forgetting to turn off the water, or setting the HVAC system to ninety degrees on a hot summer day. For some reason she decides that it is winter and turns the heat on. When my husband reminds her that it is summer and turns it off, she waits until he leaves and turns it back on. It can be like dealing with a stubborn child at times. We called the HVAC dealer to see about putting in a Smart Thermostat with a lock box on it. The technology to program it could be tied to his cell phone so he could monitor the temperature of the house at all times. The lock box would eliminate her ability to try and change the temperature when she was alone. This is really the only viable solution to the problem as having the house set as a sauna is definitely not good for her.