I’m really excited to share my latest smart home project, which has been a labor of love to ensure my 87-year-old mother feels safe and comfortable in her tiny bathroom. While she’s always been independent, her slower movements mean she spends a bit more time in the bathroom, and I wanted to make sure she has the best lighting possible without any complicated setup.
I’ve been using WYZE cameras and sensors for a while now, and they’ve been rock solid. For this project, I’m adding some WYZE bulbs and a WYZE CAM PAN, which is already up and running. The goal is to have the lights automatically turn on when she enters and stay on while she’s using the bathroom, but turn off when she leaves. It sounds simple, but I want to make sure it’s foolproof!
Here’s what I’m thinking: using contact sensors to detect when the bathroom door opens or closes. The challenge is ensuring the lights stay on even if the motion sensor doesn’t detect movement for an extended period. I’m considering setting up some timing parameters on the ‘open’ and ‘close’ notifications to account for those longer periods. I’m also wondering if adding a motion sensor would be necessary, even though the room is so small. I don’t want the lights to turn off while she’s still in the bathroom, so timing and sensor placement will be crucial.
I’ll be experimenting once everything is set up, but I’d love to hear if anyone has a simple solution or tips for making this as seamless as possible. The goal is to make her life easier, not more complicated, so any advice is appreciated! 