Nearly 9 in 10 Older Adults Feel Confident Managing Home Security Alone

The story we tend to tell about older adults and smart home technology goes something like this: The adult kids pick and install the system, then take the phone call when something starts beeping at two in the morning.

The data doesn’t support that story. A Brinks Home™ survey of 714 US adults aged 61 and older who have a smart home security system found that nearly 9 in 10 (88%) feel at least somewhat confident operating it completely on their own. More than a third have never needed help with their system at all, and only 1 in 5 asked a family member for help of any kind over the past year.

So knowing how to use their system isn’t the problem. But many of those same adults say their systems include more than they actually need for daily peace of mind, and that complaint is about as loud among the people who are most confident about their systems.

Older adults want systems that match how they actually live, and more than a third say simpler, easier-to-use technology. They’re also far more likely to trust a professionally installed and monitored system, since an expert can match a system to what someone actually needs.

Expert Commentary

List of potential SME questions to ask:

• Older adults in this survey report high confidence but also say their systems include features beyond what they need. What drives that gap between what gets installed and what gets used?

• When asked to name the top three roles their security system plays in daily life, older adults ranked giving their adult children peace of mind last of eight options, far behind things like screening visitors or deterring intruders. Why might reassuring family rank so low, even though monitoring is often marketed around that idea?

• Confidence in operating wearable panic buttons on their own without help was the lowest of any feature we asked about (14%), referring to their ability to use the feature, not their belief in its usefulness, despite its relevance to aging in place. What explains that gap, and what would close it?

Key Takeaways

• 88% of adults 61 and older are at least somewhat confident operating their smart home security system completely on their own.

• 43% of all respondents say their system includes features more complicated than what they need for daily peace of mind, and 42% of the confident group says the same.

• Giving adult children peace of mind ranks last of eight possible roles their system plays (17%).

• Older adults trust professionally installed systems over DIY by more than a six-to-one margin.

43% of Older Adults Say Their System Has More Features Than They Need

Confidence among older adults with smart home security is close to universal. Nearly 9 in 10 (88%) say they’re at least somewhat confident they can operate and navigate their system completely on their own without outside help. Only 4% describe themselves as unconfident.

Their behavior backs that up. More than a third (35%) have never needed help or had an issue with their system at all. Respondents could pick more than one way they got help, so the next two figures overlap. Of all respondents, just 20% went to a family member for help over the past year, and 52% handled it through customer support, a manual, or on their own. Among the 46% who did need help at some point, 91% need it less than once a month.

43% agree their system includes features more complicated than what they actually need for daily peace of mind. Among those who feel at least somewhat confident operating their system, 42% say the same thing.

But just because people are calling their systems too complicated doesn't mean they lack operational confidence. Of those who said their system does more than they need, 86% still feel at least somewhat confident running it, and 92% still say it gives them peace of mind. Complexity is a nuisance here, but not a dealbreaker.

Feature-level data shows how wide that range of comfort gets. We asked all 714 respondents which features they feel confident using on their own. Seventy-four percent feel confident using video cameras or doorbells, and 60% feel confident with smartphone app controls, both common features to consider when choosing a security system for a senior. Confidence is lower for smart locks (27%) and wearable panic buttons (14%), the two lowest among the nine features we asked about. We didn’t ask which features respondents have installed, so those numbers can reflect fewer homes having them, as well as less confidence using them.

Confidence varies widely feature to feature, which suggests older adults would benefit from a system tailored to what they actually need. That’s what professional installation is for.

Older Adults Rank Personal Security Above Reassuring Their Kids

We asked older adults what the top three roles their security system plays in their day-to-day lives were, and the results focused almost entirely on their own control of the home.

Screening visitors or deliveries before opening the door led at 52%. Protecting the home while away came next (49%), followed by deterring intruders (42%) and sleeping more soundly (38%). Giving adult children or family members peace of mind finished last of the eight options, at 17%.

Even the roles further down the list stay focused on the home itself, like checking that doors and windows are locked or knowing help would come automatically in an emergency. Reassuring the rest of their family is the one priority that sits apart from the rest.

That holds even in the group most likely to break the pattern. Among respondents whose family members actively receive alerts from the system, screening visitors (54%) and deterring intruders (43%) both rank far above reassuring adult children (23%). Family visibility doesn’t change who older adults think the system belongs to.

Preference data runs in the same direction. Asked what would increase their peace of mind, 39% want real-time alerts sent to themselves, compared with 23% who want alerts routed to a family member or caregiver. The pull is toward knowing what’s happening in their own home, which is perhaps the same instinct behind wanting to stay independent and age in place on their own terms.

That instinct gets stronger with age. Among adults 71 and older, 23% say their security system helps them keep living independently in their own home, compared with 16% of those 61 to 70. 

Most other priorities, like deterring intruders (43% at 61-70 down to 41% at 71+) and checking that doors and windows are secure (22% down to 19%), actually decline with age, while independence is the one priority that climbs. What reads as convenience at 65 reads as autonomy at 75: The same system, doing more of the work as the years go on and priorities shift.

Affordability and Simplicity Lead What Older Adults Want From Their Security System

When we asked what would increase their peace of mind, affordability came first (41%), which tracks with how often the cost of a home security system shapes the decision in the first place. Alerts sent directly to them followed at 39%.

But close behind are two answers that speak to how the system is built and supported: simpler, easier-to-use technology and 24/7 professional monitoring, both at 35%.

The people who are confident about running their systems are just as likely to ask for simpler technology. Simplicity here means a system shaped around what someone actually uses.

Trust data points toward how to build such systems. Older adults trust professionally installed systems more than DIY by a ratio of more than 6-to-1 (45% vs. 7%). Another 48% trust both equally, which means almost nobody in the surveyed group is actively skeptical of professional installation. This trend shows up clearly when older adults are weighing self-monitored against professionally monitored systems, and it’s most of why professional installation is worth the cost for this group.

Older adults want the system to do less guessing about what they actually need. Professional installation and monitoring close the last mile. An expert can explain the feature that seems unnecessary, and point out the one sitting unused that would actually add to someone’s peace of mind.

The Generation Gap in Smart Home Security Isn’t About Capability

The prevailing narrative casts older adults as the people who need help with home security technology. This survey tells a different story: most feel at least somewhat confident operating their systems on their own, and they have clear priorities for what those systems should do. 

What improves the experience is a system shaped around your daily routine, rather than a list of features, installed and supported by professionals who handle setup and complexity for you, so you get expert guidance instead of a project.

For adults 71 and older, especially, a security system is part of what makes staying in their own home workable. Brinks Home builds professionally installed, around-the-clock monitored systems tailored to how people actually live.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do older adults struggle with smart home security technology?

Mostly, no. In a Brinks Home survey of 714 US adults aged 61 and older with a smart home security system, 88% said they feel at least somewhat confident operating it completely on their own, and only 4% described themselves as unconfident.

How often do older adults need help with their home security systems?

Rarely. 35% have never needed help or had an issue at all. Among those who have needed help, 91% need it less than once a month.

What do older adults actually use their home security systems for?

Screening visitors or deliveries before answering the door ranks first (52%), followed by protecting the home while traveling (49%) and deterring intruders (42%). Giving adult children peace of mind ranks last of eight options (17%).

Do older adults prefer professional installation or DIY home security?

Forty-five percent trust professionally installed systems more than DIY systems, compared with 7% who trust DIY more. Another 48% trust both equally.

What would make home security systems work better for older adults?

More affordable options ranked first (41%), followed by real-time alerts sent directly to them (39%). Simpler, easier-to-use technology and 24/7 professional monitoring tied at 35%.

Methodology

The survey was conducted by Centiment for Brinks Home. The survey was fielded between August 5 and August 10, 2026. The results are based on 714 completed surveys. In order to qualify, respondents were screened to be residents of the United States, age 61 or older, living independently or in a shared living space with an adult child or relative, and to currently have a smart home security or monitoring system installed. Respondents residing in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or retirement facilities were screened out. Data is unweighted, and the margin of error is approximately +/-4% for the overall sample with a 95% confidence level.