Alexa, thanks for the music

About two years ago, my mother called me. “You know,” she said, “that Alexa really works. I was feeling a little down so I told Alexa to put on some good music and she did just that. In a few minutes I felt much better!”

Alexa became not exactly a companion, but a presence in my mother’s house – one that made both her and me feel a little better. This was at least part of what I hoped would happen when I first bought an Echo device. Senior care websites are full of advice on how to do this add Amazon smart speakers as a useful tooland Amazon’s technology was designed to make technology more accessible and affordable—goals that are often, though not always, achieved.

This is how it started. My mother spent most of her life as a teacher in the New York City public school system, a smart, savvy woman with a master’s degree in education, progressive political views, and a sometimes annoying ability to take charge of almost any situation. But now she was about 90 years old and began to have serious problems with her health and short-term memory. Despite her determination to remain independent as long as possible—playing computer games, following the news, and writing numerous journal entries about her daily activities—it was increasingly affecting her ability to perform simple tasks, to learn. new skills and living independently.

We were able to hire a helper to help her during daylight hours—cooking, cleaning, and helping with other things she was now unable to do on her own. But my mom was also stubborn and wouldn’t let anyone be around at night or carry any emergency buttons in case she needed help. I lived about 40 minutes away and only spent weekends with her. We needed a way to make sure she was okay when she was the only person in the apartment.

So I bought her an Amazon Echo Show 8 smart display in hopes that it could be the start of a smart home system that would help her stay safe and active. It all depended on how well my mother, who grew up at a time when just having a home phone was new and exciting, would accept the device. The Echo’s eight-inch screen was large enough for her to see easily, but small enough that it didn’t overwhelm the room. She could communicate with a personal assistant, and the camera allowed me to communicate with her remotely. I arranged it and introduced her to Alexa.

And it worked. Sort of.

I thought we could start by using this as a way of visual communication. It was almost a failure. My mother was used to calling people on the phone, and while she was fascinated by the idea of ​​”seeing the person you’re talking to,” she wasn’t enthusiastic about it herself. “It’s not for me,” she said firmly.

OKi thought always is drop-out function.. With its help, I could monitor what was happening in the apartment. However, the Echo Show was placed in a small room off the kitchen that we called “The Den” where my mother ate, journaled, and spent a lot of time—and as a result, she could only “see” that room and the kitchen. Once, when I suggested putting cameras all over the apartment, I got one of her looks—one that made me feel like I was five years old again. A camera in the bedroom? No way.

But luckily, there were some things the Echo helped with. Around that time, my mother’s antique bedside clock radio finally disappeared. With some trepidation, I replaced it with the Echo Dot with Clock — and was thrilled when my mom told me she loved it! Not only could she see what time it was, but she could also ask Alexa what the weather was like right from her bed. And what made me happy was that I was able to teach her to yell, “Alexa, call Barbara” if she needed me in an emergency. Between Dot and Show, Alexa could now respond no matter where my mother was in the apartment—including the bathroom with the door closed. (I checked.) She only used this feature a few times, and never in an emergency, but it was there “just in case.”

Ultimately, the most important gift the two Echoes gave my mom was music.

A few decades ago, my parents bought what was then the latest in audio technology: a modular stereo system that consisted of a turntable, a receiver, an AM/FM radio, and a cassette player. Now it remained unused, became too complicated for my mother. But with the Echo, she could play music whenever she wanted. She didn’t even have to remember the names of the songs she liked or the musicians she once loved. All she had to do was say, “Alexa, play soft music” or “Alexa, play fun music.” Alexa played old blues, folk or big band. And they called me to find out how she listened to her music and how well she felt.

Did the two Echos do everything I hoped they would? Well, yes, and no. They certainly gave my mom an easy and friendly way to get information and reminders. More importantly, they provided a way for her to contact me in an emergency. But I never took the time to install the other smart settings that were available. At least then, it was too much of a task to handle.

In fact, Amazon has been experimenting with extending the usefulness of its smart devices to the elderly. I never got around to trying Amazon’s $20-a-month Alexa Together service, which was connected to its own 24-hour emergency service — and apparently wasn’t very successful, as it was discontinued in June of this year. I might opt ​​for the less expensive Emergency Assistant feature, which allows users to contact emergency services and was introduced last September. But at that time, my mother received round-the-clock care from her family and assistants and no longer needed it.

Still, the Echo was nice to have. At the end of her life, when my mother was bedridden and unable to speak, I could sit next to her and say, “Alexa, play some Woody Guthrie” or “Alexa, play some Bessie Smith” or “Alexa, play some Count Basie “. The music started and mom smiled – and for a while she felt better. And while Amazon’s smart speaker wasn’t the perfect answer to all of our needs, I’ll always be grateful to Alexa for those few moments.