Dementia Support Line
Information
Can Amazon Alexa or Echo help my step-dad with dementia?
Our Ask an expert column looks at whether virtual assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Echo, can help support people living with dementia.
'My step-dad has dementia and now struggles to play CDs or use the TV. Could voice-operated technology, such as Amazon Echo and Alexa, help?'
Devices that allow people to use technology in their home by speaking instructions or asking questions aloud are increasingly popular.
You can use your voice to operate ‘smart’ devices like Amazon Echo, Google Home and Apple HomePod. These access online ‘virtual assistants’, such as Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri, so you can play music or control the TV, lights and much more. You need additional equipment, such as smart lightbulbs, to do some of these things.
This technology could help many people with dementia, though it’s important to think about whether it’s right for your step-dad’s specific situation.
Assistive technology and dementia
Find out what the benefits and difficulties of assistive technology are for a person with dementia.
Considerations
Your step-dad would need to consent to having these devices set up in his home. If he isn’t able to make this decision, and if an attorney or deputy hasn’t been appointed, then a best interests decision needs to be made on his behalf – discuss this with his care professionals.
In order to use a voice-operated device, the person needs to recall that it’s there and that they need to use a ‘wake word’ – such as ‘OK Google’ or ‘Alexa…’ – when talking to it. Written instructions beside the device could help, as could placing it where your step-dad would use it, for example where he’d expect a CD player to be.
These devices are always on and ready to respond whenever the ‘wake word’ is used. Some people have concerns about what information they record, how long this is stored and who can access it.
Potential
An advantage of this kind of device is that you can add new functions. You could program it to remind your step-dad about appointments or when to take medication, or even to introduce itself and say how to use it.
It may also be used to make phone calls, and if your step-dad has a personal alarm service, he could use it to call them too.
If he gets a ‘smart home’ system as well, you could connect this so your step-dad can adjust heating and other systems by speaking.
When someone asks a virtual assistant repetitive questions, it responds without annoyance or stress creeping into its voice.
Although this kind of device could never be a substitute for human contact, it may provide entertainment and help while family or friends aren’t around.
Narinder Kapur
saysDarren
saysMy Mum has early on set dementia and has started to roam around at night.
I'm looking for a way to link a door sensor to Alexa, so that when she opens the door to go out, alexa will speak to her and ask her not to go out, or other commands.
Any advice welcome
Anonymous
saysThank you for your comment, Darren. We'd recommend calling our Dementia Connect support line on 0333 150 3456 to speak with one of our trained dementia advisers. They can listen to your mum's situation and provide you with dementia information, advice support relevant to you. More details about the support line, including opening hours, are available here: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/dementia-connect-support-line
You might also find it helpful to talk to others who have been or are in similar situations. Within our online community, Talking Point, carers and other people affected by dementia share experiences, advice and offer support. You can browse the community or sign up to become a member: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/dementia-talking-point-our-on…
In the meantime, here's some information and resources you may find of interest - our support line advisers can provide you with more, including printed publications and factsheets in the post.
+ Supporting a person with dementia who walks about - https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/sup…
+ Caring for a person with dementia: A practical guide - https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets/carin…
+ Using technology to help with everyday life - https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/staying-independent/using-tec…
We hope this helps for now, Darren. Please do call our support line if you need to speak with someone during this challenging time or consider visiting Talking Point.
Alzheimer's Society website team
Linda Krywald
saysWe are supporting my mum - who has mixed dementia - to live independently but she is housebound and gets lonely. She cannot manage a mobile phone or learn new technologies easily - recently she had a new TV remote control which has taken months to get used to & still needs a reference picture to help with. What we want is an easy way to have face to face calls, share photos and read out texts, plus also set prompts for medication, locking up at night etc. Very interested in Brian's use of big buttons (which I see can be purchased) as don't think my mum will remember trigger words like Alexa - or even that the possibility exists! This has prevented us from considering this sort of technology previously. My son is a software developer so we're going to look into what we can achieve. Happy to share with you Brenda or anyone else interested. Also if anyone else has found creative ways to use this technology, please post!
Brenda Priestnall
saysI have only just found out how smart speakers can help people with dementia. My husband has memory difficulties and is increasingly finding it difficult to turn on the radio and tv. The GP thinks it is vascular dementia as he recently had a heart attack. He has aphasia as although he knows what he wants to say he can't find the words. He is happy for me to leave him for short periods and we do live in a retirement apartment with alarm systems. However, I know that if he can't make the tv or radio work he will just sit alone and that concerns me. If Brian or another knowledgeable individual could advise us what technology we need we would really like to explore this. Thank you, Brenda
Brian Humphreys
saysUsing the Alexa for people with Dementia doesn't need to be constrained to voice technology. Alexa is a gateway device which is primarily controlled by voice, but doesn't have to be. My wife has young onset Alzheimers and I use it to great effect even though she hasn't a clue how to use it, doesn't know what it is, and hasn't got a cat in hell's chance of remembering Alexa's name. Yes I'm an IT Geek and yes there are other IT systems at play in our home, but the Alexa is a major part of it.
Here are some of the things that I use Alexa for to help my wife.
1. She has a button (big yellow one) that when she presses it, it turns the TV and the lamps on. Yes it uses Alexa.
2. She has a button (big green one) that when she presses it, it plays her Amazon Music Playlist on Alexa (without her saying anything to Alexa).
3. I have built a website such that when I'm out and want to send her a message, I can type in the text and ALL FOUR of our Alexas will read out loud the message - because she doesn't always answer the phone.
4. Using the 'drop-in' functions, if I'm out, or if her daughter wants to talk to her Mum, we just 'drop in' and speak to her.
So, there's plenty of scope to use Alexa positively to help a person with Dementia, they just don't always know that they're actually using it!
Happy to talk if you want to.
Matt
saysHi Brian - thanks for sharing this. I've just started exploring this with Google Assistant/Home Hub and would be really interested in comparing notes. Not sure how we can connect - perhaps an administrator from the website can send you my details. Thanks
Anonymous
saysHi Matt, this sounds great. Perhaps the best way of getting you in touch with one another is if Brian emails [email protected] to confirm he is happy to be contacted. Hopefully you'll be able to connect and discuss this further. Thanks!
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Alzheimer's Society Blog Team
Donna Dennington
saysHi Brian this sounds amazing as think my mum-in-law would definitely benefit from ‘big buttons’ but won’t be able to use Alexa voice commands - can this be purchased and is it easy to set up as I’m no IT guru?!
Maddie
saysHi Brian, my grandad has Alzheimer's and we have just bought him an Alexa to try and make things a bit easier for him (turning on/off lights and TV, setting reminders etc...).
Being a tech guy, I wonder if you can help. We only got it delivered today and have been trying it out, but the biggest problem that I've found is the response time on the device. My grandad will say her name, but because he then has to think about the words he wants to say next, by the time he is ready, Alexa has then timed out. Do you know if there is any way to delay the response time on the device to give him a little more time to say what he needs to? I've tried looking online and I've looked all through the settings but can't seem to find anything!
Thank you in advanced!