Friday, September 20, 2019

Alexa or Google Home


Many people I know have either an Amazon Alexa device or a Google Home device. The people that  own one of these devices also varies by age. I know there are all sorts of integrated apps that you can use with either device,  but I'm just beginning to learn how many seniors have one and how useful these devices can be.

You can use them to play games, check the weather, find your cell phone, get encouragement, turn on lights, medication reminders and more. One of the most intriguing to me is the Ask My Buddy skill. By setting up this feature to work with your device, if you need help you can say "Alexa, ask my buddy to send help" and your contacts will receive alerts. This is not a substitute for calling 911 but would be helpful if you can call out but are unable to reach your phone for a text or a call.

Here is a link to the directions to set up this app if you're interested. Ask My Buddy helpful instructions.