Amazon recently announced a new capability associated with its Alexa voice assistant that could prove to be a game changer for residents of senior living facilities. The new offering allows facility managers to easily set up and control Alexa / Echo smart speakers for all of their residents.
Easy Setup and Management of Echos
Residents can now have an Alexa smart speaker in their room without the worries of setting it up themselves or managing it via a smartphone app. The facility can provide the Echo and easily manage all aspects of the installation.
Tailored Answers and Announcements
Even better, management staff can tailor Alexa to answer frequently asked questions from residents such as:
What’s for breakfast?
Are there any special events today?
Has the mail arrived yet?
Devices with smart displays, such as the Echo Show, can even display announcements for residents right on the screen. Examples include announcements such as:
Tai Chi at 10 a.m. in the Rec Room
Welcome new resident Jane Doe!
Van leaves for shopping spree at 1 p.m.
Curated Voice Apps
Using the features of Alexa for Hospitality or Alexa for Residences, facility administrators can select which third-party “skills” (voice apps) are available for residents. Selected skills might include popular trivia games and interactive storytelling experiences like our “Storyteller Cafe.”
A facility can also choose to create its own custom voice apps specifically for its residents.
Conclusion
We hope the new features offered by Amazon will increase the number of people living in senior communities who have access to an Alexa smart speaker. Feel free to contact me at amy@chatables.com if you would like more information about these new capabilities.