Parents Communication in an Emergency

[Thesquaregiraffe]

I was wondering if anyone has experience with using Alexa in cases of emergency with elderly relatives/parents?

At Christmas, when visiting my parents (who I am so lucky to still have) it became apparent that my dad had had a funny turn and then fell, when my mum went to try and help she also fell, which then meant both were completely helpless. The phone (landline but mobile style) was on the dining table which neither of them could get to. They managed to get the attention of their neighbours by shouting and they came to their aid but obviously this is worring.

They're amazingly self sufficient despite being in mid 80’s and to be honest, they will never move out of their home. My mum suffers with her mobility but manages with two sticks now. My dad is relatively ok although is just, basically, older now and is stiff and needs to lean on things to get out of chairs ect.

When I suggested an emergency button my mum vehemently said “no” and after looking at the subscription to these services (although affordable to them) are quite expensive and they wouldn’t agree to it.

But, after talking to my Dad I got him to agree to try an Alexa - hence my question.

thanks in advance ☺️

My father wouldn’t have a care alarm as it plugs into your phone, and he was convinced that his phone system was technically illegal and if anyone looked at it, he would find himself in prison.

Instead, he undertook to reply to a daily email. If I got no email, I’d phone, and if no reply I’d go round. But in fact he managed to crawl to a phone (he kept them all at low level) every time he fell.

Why do they get so stubborn when they get older? I know that was rhetorical, but it’s because they can feel their autonomy about such basic things as when to go to bed, what to eat, ebbing away, and they know it’s a one-way journey.