Alexa voice assistant helps seniors with dementia
At first glance, Amazon Echo’s Alexa voice assistant might seem like just another tech toy.
But in real life, many have found that Alexa devices can improve quality of life for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia as well as for seniors with limited mobility and other health conditions.
They’re like intelligent companions and helpers that never get tired, frustrated, or bored.
An Alexa voice assistant is also a great tool for caregivers and anyone who enjoys added convenience.
Here, we explain:
What the Amazon Echo with Alexa is
How Alexa voice assistant devices help seniors with dementia
Who else can benefit from Alexa voice assistant devices
How much Amazon Echo Alexa devices cost
How they work
Where to find helpful reviews and demonstrations
Advertisement
What are Amazon Echo devices with Alexa voice assistant?
Alexa is built into a variety of Amazon Echo devices and is basically a hands-free assistant that you control with your voice.
It’s similar to voice assistants like Siri on the iPhone or Cortana on Microsoft.
Alexa can play music, play audiobooks, set reminders, provide information like date, time, news, sports scores, weather, and more.
Amazon Echo’s Alexa helps seniors with dementia
Family caregivers often get frustrated because seniors with dementia repeat questions endlessly, need constant entertainment, or get anxious when you’re not around.
Having Alexa available to answer questions, talk about news or weather, read audiobooks, or play music can give caregivers much-needed breaks.
Even though it doesn’t replace human touch or real conversation, the intelligent voice controls can make it feel like a helpful friend.
Alexa’s voice-activated features are great for seniors with dementia:
Instantly answers questions, like “what day is it?” or “what time is it?” – it’s a machine, so it will never get annoyed or frustrated
Plays music, audiobooks, and the news – no need to fuss with complicated controls
Tells fun jokes and riddles
Reports traffic conditions and weather forecasts
Looks up information about anything – like, “what’s on TV tonight?” or “who was the Yankees’ manager in 1978?”
Who else can benefit from Alexa voice assistance devices?
Older adults with limited mobility or affected by health conditions like stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or multiple sclerosis can also benefit from an Amazon Echo device with Alexa voice assistant.
Alexa can give them more control over their environment and more independence.
For example, with Alexa connected to smart home devices, they could use only their voice to turn on the light across the room or adjust the room’s temperature.
And if they wanted to hear music or read an audiobook, they could do it with another quick voice command.
Without Alexa, they’d likely have to ask someone else for assistance with these simple tasks.
How much do Amazon Echo Alexa devices cost?
There are now a wide range of Amazon Echo devices that have the Alexa voice assistant built in.
They’re available at a variety of price points, styles and colors, and include different features in addition to the Alexa technology.
You buy these devices outright and don’t pay any additional subscription fees.
Note: Amazon frequently offers significant discounts on Echo devices.
Echo Show devices:
$40 Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023 release) – 5.5 inch smart display with Alexa and 2 MP camera
$60 Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen, 2021 release) – 8 inch HD smart display with Alexa and 13 MP camera
$150 Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen, 2023 release) – 8 inch HD smart display, Alexa, high-quality spatial audio, 13 MP camera, and built-in smart home hub.
$250 Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) – 10.1″ HD smart display with premium sound, 13 MP camera, motion, and Alexa
$280 Echo Show 15 – 15.6″ full HD (1080p) smart display and 5 MP camera with Alexa and Fire TV lets you make video calls, stream music and books, and watch videos, movies, and TV shows
Echo devices:
$100 Amazon Echo (4th Gen) “Alexa” voice assistant with voice calling – hands-free, spherical design with rich sound, this voice-controlled device makes and receives voice calls, plays music, gives weather reports, reads the news, answers questions, tells jokes, reads audiobooks, checks sports scores, and more.
$50 Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022 release) “Alexa” voice assistant with voice calling – vibrant sound in a compact smart speaker, hands-free, this voice-controlled device makes and receives voice calls, plays music, gives weather reports, reads the news, answers questions, tells jokes, reads audiobooks, checks sports scores, and more.
Advertisement
How to use Amazon Echo Alexa devices
Whenever you want to use an Echo device, just say the word “Alexa” to wake it up and let it know that you’re giving it a command.
Because you must use the wake word to activate the Echo, you could put a large sign on it with its “name” to make it easier for older adults with cognitive issues to remember.
What’s needed to make Amazon Echo work Alexa needs to be plugged in for power and connected to a wireless network in order to work.
You’ll need a computer or smartphone to set it up, but after that, it works over the WiFi connection.
Alexa skills add even more features Alexa skills are voice activated apps that add capabilities to Alexa-enabled devices.
Amazon is continuously improving and adding new skills – view a list in the Alexa mobile app or find skills by voice by saying, “Alexa, discover skills.”
See helpful reviews and demos on YouTube
YouTube has many helpful videos with reviews and demonstrations on various Amazon Echo devices.
Here are some videos that we found helpful. Some are older, but the info is still useful and you’ll get to see the devices in action.
Senior-focused:
Amazon Alexa Show Giveaway and Dementia Tool – see how this man uses Echo’s drop-in video calling to keep in touch with his mom in assisted living while visits are restricted during Covid-19
ALEXA FOR ELDERLY PARENTS: 3 Alexa Skills To Make Life Easier and Safer
General:
Recommended for you:
By DailyCaring Editorial Team
This article wasn’t sponsored, but does contain affiliate links. We never link to products or services for the sole purpose of making a commission. Recommendations are based on our honest opinions. For more information, see How We Make Money.