For most people it's just consumer luxury but my grandmother's place has some neat tricks that really improve her independence. Using anything fiddly like lamps and keys is actually a serious challenge for her. 10 years ago her TV was too complicated but now she has a voice remote and it works pretty well.
Anything that makes life a little easier is good for anyone with marginal capabilities, which is like millions of people and eventually everyone if they manage to live long enough.