We (my sister and I) are mulling over whether to get an Echo Show for my mum. She's only just been diagnosed with dementia and is at the early stages. She's very bright but technophobic, struggles to understand how her thermostat works, and can't use anything beyond a TV remote, a landline phone and her home appliances. But we thought a device that she can just talk to might work, as a way for her to make some use of the Internet. It seems pretty versatile, plus it means we can call her over video which would be good as we both live far away from her. We're not thinking yet of smart plugs or smart thermostats etc. but I suppose if her cognitive ability declines more, those might be useful. I thought I would set up her up with an Amazon account and use it via the Alexa app on my mobile to manage the Echo Show remotely.
Has anyone else got any experience of this or suggestions?
I am thinking of setting up an Alexa for my mum and dad. He is terrible with technology and not sure he will use it but worth a go if it can improve his life in anyway. One useful feature is the "drop in" where you can use the Alexa as an intercom. My mum who had dementia may be able to get some benefits too from Alexa like listening to music.
I was also thinking about a Google Nest or similar so I can get notifications for smoke or carbon monoxide alerts.
There is so much you can do with smart technology, I guess its what would help out the best. Medication reminders could be useful with Alexa as well as making voice calls easier.
What I am also thinking of doing is installing a Xiaomi Home system which I have at home. This allows you to install window alarms, movement sensors, temperature sensors, cameras, smoke detectors, lighting etc. There are literally hundreds of sensors and devices. I would just like to know e.g when the fridge was last opened and if the front door or back door are open closed etc. Its really good value tech and works well. You can have smart buttons which turn off / on lights, set the alarm etc. Each button has 3 actions so single press, double press and long press which can be set to do whatever you want.
Also I was thinking about possibly giving them fitness trackers so I can see their heart rate, steps and sleep patterns over time. I'm not sure my mum or dad would wear them though.
Finally I was thinking about what you can do with a mobile. There is a great launcher for Android which is really simple so you can have a large icon for a shortcut to call a family member. Another idea I had was the use of NFC tags. So you could have a sheet of paper with a picture of each family member which a NFC tag underneath. When the phone touches the family members face it calls them on the mobile.
If you would like to discuss any requirements happy to help !
