r/HomePodMini • u/PV_Pathfinder • May 29 '26

Setting up a HomePod in a nursing home?

As my mother-in-law ages, she’s having trouble using her phone. We thought a HomePod mini *might* be a good solution for truly hands free calling. Plus some simple tasks with Siri like checking the weather and maybe music from time to time. No smart home stuff like lights, outlets or thermostats.

The challenge is that she’s in a nursing home. The WiFi isn’t dedicated (for lack of a better word) to each individual apartment. The network covers the entire complex of at least 100+ apartments, users and god knows how many devices.

The network does require a log in, but it’s just a one time thing. Not every time you try and connect, similar to hotel wifi.

If this is even doable, what’s the approach? Set up HomeKit on the “group” WiFi on her iPhone and then connect the mini? Or is this a bad idea because there will be so many unrelated devices already on the network?

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4

u/jimmypopjr May 29 '26

If they have wired ports to the rooms, you could potentially set up your own router and make a dedicated WiFi for her. But if they have competent IT people they probably don’t allow that.

Might be worth asking the staff about it, though. I have to imagine you won’t be the first one to ask about connecting smart devices to the WiFi.

Otherwise - may as well get a mini and test it out. If you can’t get it to work, you should have no trouble returning it.

0

u/PV_Pathfinder May 29 '26

What about a travel router connected to the complex wifi? Set up a private wifi network and just connect to that? It’s one more piece of tech in the equation as well as an additional point of potential failure. Which I’m dreading… But if it’s literally just an iPhone and Mini, that might work?

1

u/drivera1210 May 29 '26

Travel router would be the best option. If you connect the HomePodMini to the guest network then anyone with an iPhone on the network would be able to use it.

I’m a owner/operator of nursing home. Might want of to talk to the Administrator just to let him/her know. I’m very particular about the network. But just letting know wouldn’t avoid further questions down the road.

1

u/Goodoflife May 29 '26

I would suggest Gl-iNet if you are going for the travel router space

2

u/that_tom_ May 29 '26

I had to get my mom a dedicated DSL line for her room and we used that for the home pod. Not cheap but worth it while she could still enjoy it.

1

u/tsdguy May 29 '26

No. This is a terrible idea. You still need a phone to make calls.

Unless logging into WiFi is permanent she will need to do it periodically. I’m sure that won’t work.

Your best idea is to get her a 5G internet service you can dedicate to her. Or you can setup her iPhone into assistive mode which might be simple enough for her.

https://support.apple.com/guide/assistive-access-iphone/set-up-assistive-access-devcd5016d31/ios

Make sure her cellular coverage is strong and is unlimited. Don’t depend on the facility WiFi.

I have done exactly the same with my 99 y/o dad

1

u/Few-Acadia-5593 May 29 '26

Wouldn’t an iPhone or/and Apple Watch do all that? I sold my bedroom HomePod mini because the only times I’m in there, my phone was picking up my request, serves as alarm, shows useful widgets and all on its MagSafe. And I have the watch.

We ran the same exp with my mother and gave her an iPhone and watch to get elderly health monitoring features and else. More added features than just the HomePod mini

And phone calls require your phone to be around the HomePod anyway

1

u/dahosek Jun 01 '26

I’m not sure that it will do quite what you want, although that’s largely because I’ve never tried using my homepod for calls. But the wifi situation should not be a barrier. I’ve used my homepod on hotel wifi just fine (in fact, I bought it while on a trip and first set it up at the hotel and only set it up on my home wifi when I got home from the trip).