I need to turn my mom’s lights and tv off remotely from my phone. Anyone know of a device/app that would do that?

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Mmccontex Asked May 9, 2025

I need to turn my mom’s lights and tv off remotely from my phone. Anyone know of a device/app that would do that?

My mom is living in MC with advanced dementia. Although there is obviously staff at night, she often goes to bed with all the lights and the TV blaring and then does not sleep soundly. (I know because I have cameras.)

Clearly the staff should be making rounds and turn them off, but I’m tired of fighting this fight if I can solve this myself remotely. I need to turn off the overhead light that is controlled with a wall switch and turn off the TV — not looking to control volume or channel, just turn it off.

Anyone know of devices that would do that?

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score 0 · Answer 1

My experience was in my MIL's LTC room. We couldn't prevent the staff from unplugging her landline and relocating it. Sometimes it was left unplugged. Just saying don't start with anything expensive: It seems a simple timing device may be a solution, but if someone turns the tv or devices on and off manually while on the timer, not sure if that affects it functioning.

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score 0 · Answer 2

Is there reliable WiFi available at the faculty and can you or someone troubleshoot the setup once a week or so?

The Logitech Harmony Hub offers to give you an equivalent remote control for the TV once you get it set up.

Unfortunately, ours had a tendency to lose contact with WiFi and was very finicky about where the base unit was in relation to the TV.

The new ones may be better, ours was from maybe 5 years ago.

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score 1 · Answer 3

Amazon is experiencing many Tariff problems, and I do not recommend shopping there. Try Walmart and Target for Alexa device.

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score 2 · Answer 4

Hire a human privately or through agency to come every evening for whatever the minimum is. 2 hours? Take her through bedtime routine and shut off the lights and tv. If mc staff is not doing this, are they helping her wash her face and hands? brush teeth? change into clean bed clothes? And tidy the room? Empty the trash? Set up breakfast and morning routine? Probably not. This is What the private pay caregiver can do for two hours, every night. And give you an update every evening so that you can sleep well knowing that everything is in order and you can rest knowing these things are taken care of. What a travesty that all the money you pay for MC and staff can not manage the basics of turning the lights down and tv off. Appalling. Are there other options locations?

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Minimum is usually 4 hours which would be a tidy sum nightly.

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score 1 · Answer 5

Just a friendly reminder to anyone using smart devices in their home, change the password these come with for your own security and those you love.

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score 0 · Answer 6

Ring (as in Ring Doorbell & Ring Cameras), also an Amazon company, has some smart switches which can be used to turn of the lights or TV through the Ring app.

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score 1 · Answer 7

I have my whole house setup with Alexa brand, Wemo brand and Wyze brand smart plugs, bulbs and switches. My 87 y/o mother lives with me and I have two lamps in her room setup this way. She can can turn the lights off by voice, or I can turn them off remotely. She is immobile, so she can ask the Alexa device to call me when she needs something and my phone rings.

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score 0 · Answer 8

I wouldn’t change anything but buy a smart tv that will shut off as a timer. As far as lights u can by the hand clapper lights so the staff can clap them off in her room. Or just get Alexa to shut off certain rooms.

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score 0 · Answer 9

Roku has an amazing system with apps for operating lights and tvs!

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score 4 · Answer 10

How about hooking the tv on a cheap timer?

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score 0 · Answer 11

An echo dot, amazon makes them. you just need internet in the home of the person being looked after. You just install the Alexa app on your phone and then you can control the echo dot from your phone-- you can turn on off lights, play music on the echo, turn the music off, they can call you via the echo dot just by using their voice. you can even call them by using the "drop in" feature from the alexa app so they dont need a phone to hear from you.

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