MEET MY BEST FRIENDS: SIRI AND ALEXA
When I ask a question, I want a nonjudgmental answer. No eye-rolls or grimaces when I request a song and sing along loudly in the shower, no judgment… just an answer and wish-fulfilled with the sound of my voice, thanks to my best friends, Siri and Alexa.
They give me driving directions, the scores of my favorite teams, and remember what I needed at Publix. When my scale started delivering my weight in kilograms, my “girls” were there to re-calculate it into pounds!
There is no jealousy. Siri doesn’t get upset if I ask Alexa more questions than I ask her. (You like her better than me…)
But recently, I’ve learned of a new skill of Alexa’s that sounds perfect for families, couples, or someone living alone, enjoying life, and trying to live safely and independently. Being a strategic thinker, I ask myself “What if” a lot. What if I fall, what if the car won’t start, what if the air conditioner breaks? Then I come up with scenarios of how to solve each problem.
Not falling or getting sick or injured are priorities in my life. If I don’t take care of myself, who will?
Alexa has a new option called Emergency Assist.
If you have any of the Echo or other Alexa devices, you can use your voice to ask Alexa for help right away. After signing up for the $5.99/month program (if you have Prime) or $7.99/month (without Prime), you can just say, “Alexa, I need help”. Someone from the Emergency Assist call center will respond and find out what you need. Ambulance? Fire Department? Police? No buttons to push, locate your phone, or fumble with your watch. Just the sound of your voice… Alexa cannot call 911, but can call friends or emergency contacts for you, too. While the Emergency Assist is a self-renewing program, you can cancel whenever you’d like.
I’ve just signed up for this program to check it out and hope to never need it!
If you’d like questions about independent living answered in Verandah View, text or email me from verandahlife.com member directory.
Stephanie Levin, Gerontologist
Specializing in Independent Living
