Esther C. Kane, C.D.S.Yes, Alexa smart home devices can be used as a life alert / medical alert device for emergency help.
This voice assistant device has features such as Ask My Buddy, calling someone with a voice command and coupling your Alexa device with other services to incorporate fall detection features.
All of these and more allows you to use Alexa as a medical alert device. (Well, a modified version of a medical alert device.)
Not everyone is willing to wear any of the medical mobile devices either as a necklace or a bracelet or even a belt clip. So, an Alexa device may be a better option as far as in home systems for emergencies.
But for a mobile system where you may need to make emergency calls while away from home, we recommend any of the medical alert systems available. Having one of these with you while you are out and about is always a good idea for many older adults.
In addition to so many of the wonderful features / skills that Alexa offers such as medication reminders, video call, severe weather alerts and so much more, having the ability to use it as a medical alert device in your home is an added bonus. And at no extra monthly fee.
More than just a friendly voice, Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa is reported to help save lives by Amazon customers and Amazon employees around the world.
Techradar.com
It’s an amazing low cost tool for seniors and family caregivers alike. Here are 28 wonderful skills (features) that Alexa offers that I believe would be very beneficial for many families with senior loved ones. Many of these skills are at no monthly cost.
Does Alexa Have An Emergency Alert System?
Yes, Amazon’s Alexa smart devices include a built-in emergency alert system.
The Alexa emergency alert is so very simple to use.
You simply choose one person from your contact list on your smart phone to be your Alexa Emergency Contact.
Then, you can say “Alexa, call for help” to have Alexa call your emergency contact.
To set up Alexa for emergency contact…
- Open the Amazon Alexa app on your mobile device
- Tap on the 3 horizontal lines in the bottom right of your screen
- Tap on Settings
- Scroll down and tap on Communication
- Tap on Manage Contacts
- Tap on Emergency Contact
- Tap on Select Contact
- Choose the person in your contact list that you would like to be contacted in case of an emergency
If you have trouble speaking, you can certainly use the keyboard on your Alexa app to type in your command to Alexa. Learn more about how Alexa can help hearing or speech impaired here.
How To Use Alexa’s Emergency Contact
If an emergency arises and someone in your family needs help, they can simply say , “Alexa, call my emergency contact.”
Alexa will then call the emergency contact you specified and let them know what’s going on.
Amazon Alexa’s emergency alert system can be a life-saving tool during medical emergencies and other types of emergencies as well. By registering your emergency contacts, you can easily communicate with them that you need medical help.
Ask My Buddy Skill
Another skill (feature) that you can use is the Ask My Buddy Skill. After it’s set up you can simply say “Alexa, ask my buddy to send help.”
This will send a notification to your emergency contacts that you need assistance. They can then call you, or go to your location to provide help.
If you’re ever in a situation where you can’t speak, you can also activate your medical alert system by pressing the button on your Amazon Alexa device. This will send a notification to your emergency contacts that you need help.
Of course, this means you have to be able to reach your Alexa device.
What Do You Need To Use Alexa As A Medical Alert Device?
All you need is the Alexa Echo device and a cell phone to download the SOS My Family app. Then you can use your Amazon Echo medical alert.
If you’re looking for a way to keep yourself safe and feel more secure in your home, consider using Alexa as a life alert. With just a few simple steps, you can be ready to use your Amazon Echo in case of an emergency.
Remember, it’s always important to stay safe and prepared!
How Does Alexa Help The Elderly?
Alexa is a voice-activated assistant that can be used to control a variety of devices in your home, including your Amazon Echo. But did you know that Alexa can also help the elderly in a variety of ways?
Here are a few ways that Alexa can make life a little easier for those who might need a little extra assistance:
1. Alexa Can Help With Grooming
Alexa can be a great help when it comes to grooming. Whether someone needs help shaving, brushing their teeth, or styling their hair, Alexa can handle it. She’s even been known to give helpful beauty tips!
There are a few ways that Alexa devices can help with grooming.
- For starters, many Alexa devices come equipped with a built-in camera, so you can see what you’re doing while you’re brushing your teeth or shaving.
- Alexa can provide step-by-step instructions for a variety of grooming tasks, which can be a big help if you’re not used to doing them yourself.
- And finally, Alexa can be a great source of beauty tips and advice, so you can always look your best.
So whether you’re looking for help with a specific grooming task or just want some general tips and advice, Alexa is a great resource to have on hand.
2. Alexa Can Help With Meal Preparation
Meal preparation can be a daunting task for some older adults, but Alexa can make it a little bit easier. She can help with everything from preparing a grocery list to cooking a meal.
All you need is the right recipe and Alexa will have you eating like a queen in no time!
If you’re looking for a little help in the kitchen, Alexa can be a great resource. The best Alexa device that I can recommend for help in the kitchen is the Echo Show.
Although the other devices can also give the same information, with the Echo Show you can actually SEE recipes and meal preparation techniques.
The Echo Show has a built-in screen, which makes it perfect for viewing recipes and cooking instructions. And if you’re not sure what to make for dinner, the Echo Show can come to the rescue with a variety of recipes from popular cooking websites and apps.
The Echo Spot and Echo Dot also have voice-activated features that let you search for recipes and add them to your grocery list.
So these devices can help to order items from Amazon and create and add products to your grocery list.
3. Alexa Can Help With Transportation
Getting around town can be difficult for some elderly people, but Alexa can help. With the SOS My Family app, a person can use their Amazon Echo medical alert to request a ride from a nearby Uber driver.
This is a great way to stay safe and get around town without any hassle!
Alexa also allows you to simply call for an Uber or Lyft ride directly (without the SOS My Family app). You can read here about how to set that up and use Alexa.
Additionally, Alexa devices can be used to get directions and traffic updates. This is a great way to stay on top of your commute and make sure you arrive on time.
4. Alexa Can Help With Household Chores
Alexa devices can be a great help when it comes to completing household chores. You can ask her to add items to a grocery list, set a timer for cooking, or even play music while you work.
Alexa is a virtual assistant that can do a variety of tasks to make your life a little bit easier.
So, if you’re looking for a way to make chores a little less daunting, be sure to add an Alexa device to your home!
5. Alexa Can Keep You Connected
Even if you’re not feeling well, Alexa can help keep you connected to the outside world. With a simple voice command, she can help you make a phone call, send a text message, or even set a reminder.
You don’t have to be cooped up in your room when you have Alexa by your side! With your contacts and phone numbers listed in Amazon, you can call any one of your family and friends.
With a variety of commands that can help you make phone calls, send text messages, and more, Alexa can help keep you in touch with the world.
6. Alexa Can Help To Monitor Family Members
Alexa is equipped with a feature called “drop in,” which allows a user to connect with another Alexa-enabled device remotely.
This feature can be used for a variety of purposes, including checking in on a loved one or monitoring a child’s bedroom.
7. Alexa Fall Detection Devices
In September 2021 Alexa announced a new fee based program called Alexa Together. It’s specifically designed for older adults and offers features such as monitoring, emergency response service and fall detection just to name a few.
Now, Alexa has partnered with Vayyar and SkyAngelCare to add fall detection to it’s list of services for Alexa Together customers.
The partnerships with Vayyar and Assistive Technology Service (ATS) add fall detection to the subscription. Vayyar Care uses wall-mounted sensors to detect falls, while SkyAngelCare by ATS is a pendant users can wear around their necks. When a customer uses the pendant or Vayyar detects a fall, Alexa can call urgent response services and family members if necessary.
Mobilehealthnews.com
You can read more about Alexa Together here.
Overall, Alexa is a great addition to any home. Whether you’re using her for entertainment, organization, or communication, she can make your life a little bit easier. So why not give her a try?
Can Alexa Call 911?
This is a question that many people have, and the answer is “Yes” but only through the paid version of the Ask My Buddy Skill.
Now, having said that, I must admit it’s not entirely true. Truth is, you can also call 911 via an Alexa device if you happen to own an Amazon Echo Connect device. The thing is that product is not sold any longer.
But, if you happen to have bought one years ago it can be set up to allow you to call emergency services via your Alexa device.
About The Ask My Buddy Skill
There’s a new feature that will help you if your loved one is experiencing difficulties. You can set up someone as their “buddy” and have Alexa contact them immediately, which alerts several people who are assigned to the Ask My Buddy program!
This free program allows you to set up 5 “buddies” so that when you say “Alexa, ask my buddy to send help.” Alexa will then contact those 5 people and let them know that you are in trouble.
Now, the premium (paid) version of Ask My Buddy you can add 5 more people to your buddy list and it will also call 911 for you.
Can Alexa Be Used As A Listening Device?
Many people worry if the built-in microphones can be used for slightly more sinister reasons, like eavesdropping, recording conversations, or dropping in on other devices without them knowing.
The answer to this is a little complicated. First of all, Amazon does not currently allow third-party developers to access the audio data that is recorded by Alexa.
In addition, Amazon has a strict policy about how the audio data that is collected by their devices is used. The company says it will only use the data for “the improvement of our products and services.“
While Alexa devices — like the Echo or Echo Dot smart speakers — are listening all the time, they do so to monitor your voice for the wake word. These devices use a built-in technology called keyword spotting to match your voice to the acoustic patterns of your preferred activation word. If you don’t say the trigger word, Alexa won’t, in theory, record or send information anywhere.
Avast.com
That said, there have been a few instances where Alexa has mistakenly recorded a conversation that was not meant to be recorded.
So, while it is unlikely that Amazon would use the data it collects for anything nefarious, there is always a chance that something could go wrong.
Alexa can be a life-saving device for seniors and those with medical conditions. The Echo can be used to call 911 in an emergency or to get help from a family member or friend.
Plus, the device can be used to track a person’s health information, like their blood pressure.
So, while there are some concerns about how Alexa collects and stores data, the benefits of the device far outweigh the risks.
How Does Alexa Track Your Blood Pressure?
Using an Omron Evolv wireless upper arm blood pressure monitor – you can ask Alexa to track your blood pressure. You can even set up a reminder on Alexa to remind you to take your blood pressure (if you tend to forget).
Read more here.
Is There An Alexa Skill Seniors Who Fall?
The Alexa device itself does not have a fall detection skill or service but it can be used with a compatible fall-detection device. You do need to subscribe to the Alexa Together program in order for them to work.
This means using another device / service and then connecting your Alexa device to it, usually via a wireless connection.
Here’s a few fall detection devices that work with Alexa:
- SkyAngelCare – a fall detection pendant
- Vayyar – attaches to the wall and detects motions (including falls)
Conclusion
While there are some concerns about how Alexa collects and stores data, the benefits of the device far outweigh the risks. With that in mind, it is important for seniors and those with medical conditions to take advantage of everything Alexa has to offer.
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