Using an Echo Show remotely to support elderly parents who struggle with tech?

[TeenToTwenties]

I asked on the tech board about a screen for my parents and the response was 'Echo Show'.

*My parents don't really 'do' tech, can barely manage an emergency dumb mobile phone.

So my question here is, does anyone use an echo show remotely to help elderly parents? eg to send visible messages, set reminders etc?

The idea is that initially at least the screen would be dumb (or maybe just used to acknowledge / turn off a message) with me putting things onto it from afar. Camera off, microphone off.

Then if it was useful / when they got used to it, we might be able to use it to show me things (like bruises or letters), or to set medicine reminders etc.

It needs to be used in a way they don't need to fiddle with it / accidentally screw up the settings.

So does anyone do this? If so any comments on model, usage, difficulties, etc etc?

Dad is hugely enjoying having music on demand via Alexa!

Right, step 1 achieved.
Gave up waiting for amazon customer services to sort my account out, so created account using parents email.
I have managed the basics, including a drop in from my phone, so I now have 10 days to get confident enough to take it up to them.

Would have been useful today when their phone was off the hook again but emergency fall watch was going off in the washing machine.

Would also in theory help with them adding things as they think of them to a shopping list.

All very stressful however, i am not finding it intuitive at all!

No, it's not, it's a complete pain in the arse if you want to use it to communicate.

If you just want it to play music or give you the weather it's fine.

I've practiced dropping in from my phone and that works OK in the house (must try out of the house)
I've got some photos on there.
I've got a shopping list and can add to that via the device and see it on my phone.
I now need to play with reminders and calendars.

And then work out how to give my DB access if he wants it.

Im following with interest.
do you think they would be able to ask
what day is it? What time is it?
rather than phoning me to ask?

In theory yes, I've just tried that for you

I'm hoping they can add items to the shopping list as they think of them, plus it can remind on pills instead of me.

Thank you. 😁

I can help with some of these questions. My relative with dementia has an Echo Show (well actually 2 now as we got one for the bedroom as well as one for the living room). We don't really use it for communication although she did call me on it once.

She has the 15" ones and has photos on one side with the time/day/date and on the other side I think there's space for 6/8 widgets which for us are calendar (shared cal from our phones), shopping list, weather, then yellow post its which we (me and DSis) update from our phones.

She will say "Alexa add loo roll to my shopping list" for example and it will update - also useful to have a plug in Alexa (no screen - think they cost about £10) upstairs btw - otherwise she would forget by the time she gets downstairs (not needed now we have the 2nd screen one upstairs.

With the shopping list, I stop at the shops on my way round and can look at what she's added from my phone.

We update the post its with simple notes about what's happening the next day for example "Wednesday - JennyWreny will pick you up for lunch at 12noon" or "Thursday - Angie (carer) visiting this afternoon"

We will also set reminders. For example been to a cafe today. Got her a bit of cake in take away box. As we go through the door I say "Alexa remind me at 5pm that I've got some cake in the kitchen"

She also has a ring doorbell so will say "Alexa, show me the front door" so she can see what's happening outside. If anyone presses the bell, it automatically switches to a full screen image of who is there.

Hope some of that is helpful.

Edited to add - We don't use it for tablet reminders as we use Pivotell which is perfect for us as it beeps at the right time and then opens the compartment for that day.

@JennyWreny thank you that is very helpful. I may come back and ask a few things once we have got going.

Well I have got it installed and working.
Parents very wary, but I did get Mum to add something to the shopping list.
As I am here for a couple of days I am modelling its use, so eg if they ask me when Tesco is coming next I am asking Alexa instead.

Ooh how did you get on?

I think that might change with different settings as I ( in the UK) managed to wake my daughter up ( in Australia) with an alarm I’d set !

Ok so far, though whether they will use it when I'm not with them is another matter. They didn't immediately reject it which is a start.

I have plugged in carer visits and tesco and when i am coming and reminders for one medicine which kept getting forgotten.

Alexa doesn't seem to have learned phonics though, some of her pronunciation is interesting!

I’d love to know how you get on communicating through it when you’re home if you don’t mind updating.
thanks ☺️

Well I have just used it to 'drop in' with a video call from my phone (to say the fall detector needed charging), and that worked fine.

A final update a month on.

My brother and I are now using it to 'drop in' in preference to phone calls. Mum&Dad like being able to see us, and they don't have to faff with phones, and I can talk to Dad when Mum is asleep without the phone ringing.

The video function is a bit glitchy, but OK.

The reminder function for pills and calendar function are working well too.

That’s absolutely brilliant.

That's great! My parents are getting on well with it too. Reminders are just ignored, as are those on phones. But they love the voice control, having music on demand, and mum is now asking Alexa about all sorts of things eg how can she do X or Y.

Another quick update. We are now purchasing a larger Echo Show 15.

Mum is in hospital (nearly 2 weeks now) and is hopefully (fingers crossed) moving to a nursing home in a few days. She will be able to have the Echo Show in her room and we can drop in on her and more to the point Dad will be able to 'drop in' to say goodnight. This will be far better than phoning as they can see each other and if one is asleep not wake the other.

This has been a really successful piece of tech and I'm so glad we got it when we did as we have been able to say to reassure Dad he can stay in contact easily even when not physically there.

I hope your mum settles in well to the nursing home.

Thanks for the update. It’s very helpful to know these things.

my favourite YouTube video about Alexa. Enjoy.

Brilliant!!

Very useful thread! Thanks OP.
My elderlies are not quite "there" yet but it's VERY reassuring to know what's possible.

My one take on everything we have had in the past 2.5 years is do your best to get things in before they are needed, as changing things midst crisis is much harder, and anyway adapting to new things also gets harder the older people get.
(However older person resistance to change syndrome does make this ideal v hard.)