As the global senior population grows, more adult children are faced with caring for aging parents and relatives. However, juggling the demands of work, family, and their own lives makes hands-on caregiving challenging. This is where technology like Alexa Together comes in…
The Growing Need for Remote Caregiving
According to the World Health Organization, the number of people aged 60 years and older will double by 2050, reaching nearly 2.1 billion globally. As lifespans increase, more seniors are living independently rather than entering nursing homes. However, conditions like arthritis, vision loss, cognitive decline, and limited mobility make daily living difficult and dangerous.
It‘s estimated that over 30% of seniors over 65 fall each year, resulting in 37.3 million falls. Over 32,000 older adults die from fall injuries annually. This highlights the need for greater support to allow seniors to live safely and autonomously in their own homes.
Remote patient monitoring and telehealth solutions aim to address this through leveraging technology and the Internet of Things. Connected devices track health signals and surface insights to doctors while allowing patients to stay comfortable at home. The global remote patient monitoring market is projected to reach $117.1 billion by 2025 as healthcare systems adopt these technologies.
Alexa Together enters this landscape as the first direct-to-consumer remote caregiving offering from Amazon. Launched in 2022, it represents the tech giant‘s push into healthcare and using its established Alexa platform to support aging adults globally.
How Alexa Together Works
Alexa Together provides fall detection, 24/7 urgent response access, and caregiver alerts leveraging an existing Echo device with Alexa built-in. It does not require the senior to wear any special hardware. Rather, it uses the device‘s microphone and camera to apply computer vision and natural language processing algorithms to continuously analyze living patterns.
For example, by establishing a baseline walking pace and room transitions, it can identify if the senior suddenly becomes immobile or lays stationary on the floor. The system classifies this as a potential fall and will proactively ping the user asking if they require assistance. It will also notify designated emergency contacts.
If the user requests help by saying "Alexa, call for help," they are instantly connected to one of Alexa Together‘s urgent response agents who are available 24/7. These agents can contact emergency services, family members, or neighbors as dictated by the senior‘s emergency care plan.
Alexa Together generates custom alerts for family caregivers as well based on Alexa activity and usage patterns. This gives loved ones increased visibility into how parents are interacting with Alexa, allowing them to proactively identify changes that may signal emerging physical or cognitive issues.
Key Components of Alexa Together
There are three main components required to use Alexa Together:
Echo Device with Alexa Built-In – This allows the system to have microphones and cameras in the senior‘s home to analyze living patterns, respond to requests, and facilitate remote communications. The Echo Show is ideal as it includes a screen.
WiFi Internet Connection – Reliable, high-speed home internet is required to connect the Echo device. Minimum speeds should be at least 10 Mbps download / 2 Mbps upload. Mesh networks help eliminate dead zones.
Smartphone for the Caregiver – The caregiver uses the Alexa app on iOS or Android to configure Alexa Together settings, review activity feed alerts, manage contacts, and more.
Optional accessories like smart lights, plugs, and other Alexa-compatible devices create an expanded connected environment. But the subscription service works with any existing Echo device out-of-the-box.
Key Features and Capabilities
Let‘s explore some of the main ways Alexa Together provides value:
Fall Detection with Emergency Response
Detecting falls and immediately connecting to emergency services is a prime focus. By analyzing audio and movement patterns, Alexa Together can recognize falls as they occur and ask the user if they need assistance. If unresponsive after 30 seconds, it will initiate an emergency response workflow by:
- Calling registered emergency contacts
- Ping on-call urgent response agents
- Contacting 911 if unable to reach emergency contacts after 5 attempts
The device‘s location is shared over SMS to emergency services allowing paramedics to be dispatched straight away.
This all happens automatically without the senior having to push a help button or wear any specialized hardware.
In addition, Alexa Together can interface with supplementary fall detection pendants, watches, and sensors as a backup alerting mechanism. It supports third-party devices like Vayyar Care, SkyAngelCare, Altum View, and more. This allows loved ones to implement layers of protection suited to their family‘s needs and budget.
Remote Assist
While on-the-go, caregivers can leverage the remote assist feature to manage the senior‘s Alexa experience remotely. Abilities include:
- Setting medication and appointment reminders
- Adding items to the shopping / to-do lists
- Controlling smart home devices like lights, thermostats
- Checking the weather
- Arranging Uber rides
- Playing music or podcasts
This allows family members to provide helpful prompts and assistance from anywhere without directly interfering in the senior‘s independence.
Well-Being Checks and Notifications
Another prime benefit of Alexa Together is gaining increased visibility into the loved one‘s daily activity patterns and wellbeing through proactive notifications. Caregivers specify what types of alerts they wish to receive updates on, such as:
- Alexa usage each morning and nighttime
- Missed medication alerts
- Appointment reminders marked as complete
- New smart home automations created
- Package deliveries
- Food orders
By tracking engagement with Alexa features like news, radio, timers, and shopping lists, the app provides a proxy for identifying changes in someone‘s normal routine that could reflect emerging physical or cognitive issues. This allows caregivers to proactively intervene with additional support instead of waiting till an emergency occurs.
24/7 Emergency Response Access
Falls are not the only urgent scenarios loved ones may face. With Alexa Together, saying "Alexa, call for help" at any time connects the senior to a live agent from the Alexa emergency response center (supported by ResponseNow). These assistants can reach emergency services, family members, neighbors, etc. based on pre-configured preferences.
Access to urgent support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year provides relief knowing seniors have a trusted resource to call day or night, whether related to safety, medication questions, transportation needs, or more.
Activity Feed & Customized Alerts
The Alexa app surfaces a running activity feed of interactions, alerts, changes, notifications, and monitoring log data. This lets family members replay recorded events and track patterns over time. Users can also save important video clips and audio recordings.
Caregivers set up custom alert rules to get notified about specific interactions, situations, or changes in behavior patterns. For example, you may wish to receive a notification anytime:
- Dad asks Alexa about the weather forecast 3 times in one day
- Mom wakes up later than 8:00am
- Grandma turns off the stove but doesn‘t return to the kitchen for over 5 minutes
- The back door is unlocked after 8:00pm
These personalized, proactive insights enable caregivers to identify emerging needs and risks so they can intervene appropriately.
Security, Privacy, and Permissions
When installing Alexa Together across households, both the caregiver and senior must consent and provide access permissions to enable certain monitoring capabilities.
Visibility controls specify which features and alerts family members can access. The loved one can dial up or down the amount of notifications shared. Permissions can also be revoked anytime to disable monitoring entirely.
Amazon employs multi-layer safeguards to keep health activity data private and secure. Video feeds are encrypted and only shared for detected emergency events. Ongoing improvements make the system more accurate and sensitive over time while keeping personal information protected.
Pricing and Getting Started
Alexa Together is priced reasonably given the wide range of included emergency response, fall detection, and monitoring capabilities. It costs $19.99 per month with no long-term contracts. There is also a 6-month pre-paid option for $99 total.
30-day free trials are available so families can evaluate if Alexa Together is the right fit. To sign up:
- Have the senior download the Alexa app or sign up at amazon.com/alexatogether
- Caregivers also register from their Alexa app or account dashboard
- Link the accounts and configure emergency contacts
- Complete permissions and feature preferences
- Add Echo devices into the senior‘s Alexa system
- Review activity feed events and customize alerts over the first month
Billing begins only once the trial completes so there is time to set up the system, test capabilities, familiarize loved ones, and tweak preferences. Support specialists are also available by email, chat, and phone during onboarding and beyond.
Now let‘s explore some common questions around Alexa Together and who it may or may not suit.
Who Should Use Alexa Together?
Alexa Together aims to support a wide range of family structures and scenarios. Its medical alert capabilities make it very applicable for seniors wishing to maintain independence at home despite limited mobility, injuries, chronic conditions, or the general effects of aging.
Below are some examples of who may benefit from Alexa Together:
Couples keeping each other safe – Spouses appreciate knowing their partner has urgent support if one happens to fall or feels ill when home alone.
Geographically distant caregivers – Busy children living in different cities from parents get peace of mind with proactive insights into activity and wellness.
Memory care assistance – Features like reminders, smart home automation, and emergency response buttons aid those in early-stages of dementia.
Check-ins after hospital visits – Post-discharge wellness checks ensure continued recovery and adaptation back home.
Parkinson‘s monitoring – Fall detection, gait tracking, and voice pattern analysis provide help for those with degenerative movement disorders.
The key prerequisites are having an existing Echo device in the home, WiFi connectivity, some tech familiarity, and basic mobility. However, the subscription can carry over across residences so it‘s not a sunk cost if loved ones transition from independent living to assisted care facilities.
Limitations and Considerations
While very useful in many situations, Alexa Together does have some limitations families should evaluate:
No outdoor monitoring – Because it relies on Echo devices with cameras and microphones, Alexa Together only works inside the home. If loved ones spend much of their day walking outside or in a garage/shed, this solution will not provide monitoring coverage. Consider wearables with LTE connectivity instead for those patterns of living.
WiFi dependence – A consistent, high-speed home internet connection is required for fall alerts, emergency calling capabilities, and receiving caregiver notifications. Power outages will cause connectivity gaps as well unless the Echo device has an integrated battery.
Cluttered/dark rooms – Camera visibility should not be overly obstructed by objects and furniture placement or products. The microphones also need adequate volume and clarity to analyzing ambient sounds for signs of falls or calls for help.
As health evolves, Alexa Together may become less applicable. Those with mid-stage dementia who cannot operate Alexa may require manual medical alert systems. And if living facilities change to memory care units or nursing homes, new protocols may override alerts.
Evaluate these factors against current lifestyle needs and discuss contingencies for if / when support requirements pivot over time.
Tips for Getting the Most from Alexa Together
Here are some expert best practices when setting up Alexa Together:
Place Echo devices centrally near high traffic areas where falls are likeliest – bedrooms, stairs, kitchens, and bathrooms. Have at least two distributed throughout the home for full coverage.
Specify all health conditions in the Alexa profile so emergency responders have proper context, especially cardiac, COPD/respiratory, and diabetes.
Pre-register emergency contacts in priority sequence – first a neighbor who can arrive fastest, then trusted relatives. Keep this info updated.
Enable smart home integration with things like smart lights, thermostats, and locks allowing remote assist capabilities. But use simplest interfaces.
Set up automatic reminders for medications, meals, and recurring events providing helpful cues while keeping autonomy.
Use parental controls like internet filtering to limit scam risks from suspicious websites, videos, skills.
Review event history weekly not just for high-severity alerts but to spot changes in usage patterns indicative of developing issues.
Fine tune detection sensitivity to minimize false alerts as lifestyle rhythms and Alexa proficiency evolves. But keep sensitivity higher at first.
Verify connectivity strength using home mesh networks and WiFi extenders to eliminate dead zones or gaps where fall detection could lapse.
Add Alexa skills like games, music services, audiobooks, and meditation apps to keep loved ones engaged while monitoring overall utilization trends.
Utilize groups so other family can get notifications without full access to health data for better privacy.
While extremely useful, Alexa Together should complement in-person visits and care. It provides oversight and urgent access between visits, giving seniors dignity of independence with support systems in case of emergencies or changes. Keep clear guidelines around escalating issues so responsibilities stay clear between families and Amazon‘s response team.
The Future of In-Home Remote Care
Alexa Together represents the initial phase of consumer-focused remote caregiving services. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, demand for solutions that keep loved ones safe at home while remaining hands-off will only increase.
We are likely to see companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google integrate their smart speakers and apps more deeply with both professional and family caregiver networks. Smartwatch health signals like heart rate will also combine with in-home sensing for a more holistic view of wellness.
Computer vision applications could help surface trends around activity levels, gait changes, sleep patterns, and even social engagement. And advances in robotics may allow remote telepresence so caregivers can physically roll through the home scanning surroundings when physical visits are impractical.
But for now, Alexa Together provides an excellent starter product in this emerging ecosystem – one tailored to the wide accessibility of existing Alexa-enabled devices. The urgent response network, smart home integrations, automatic fall detection, and customizable alerts set families up to better support aging loved ones together, even from afar.
