By will-buy
More than 1,400 Amazon Echo Show 8 smart displays is going to be setup across approximately 1,200 North Carolina assisted living communities after the month. Senior lifestyle tech developer K4Connect is dealing with the non-profit New york Assisted Living Association (NCALA) to distribute the smart displays appropriately. Anticipation is the devices will raise the spirits of residents making it easier to to allow them to connect with themselves throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
NC Connect
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, North Carolina’s assisted living homes quickly started adapting to try and keep residents and staff safe. When the federal CARES Act passed in late spring, NCALA helped get personal protective equipment along with other medical care equipment to the countless assisted living communities within the state. But, even with physical safety precautions in place, the healthiness of many residents started to fade.
“The seniors had all of their social living turn off completely due to [the pandemic]. They had to remain isolated in their room for some time,” NCALA president and CEO Frances Messer told Voicebot. “We used money in the CARES Act to obtain PPE and look after their physical needs, but we had lots of decline in mental well-being, a lot of depression and merely a tremendous emotional effect. We'd to check out the way we could combat this tremendous problem of isolation.”
Messer and NCALA explained the problem towards the New york General Assembly, leading to the inclusion of a $500,000 grant in the federal Coronavirus relief Fund mandating using technology to relieve isolation and depression among the residents. After considering and dismissing iPhones along with other tech that does not everyone may want and have access to, Messer turned to K4Connect, whom she knew of from their work in the Raleigh area. She was impressed using the smart home controls and comprehensive variety of features on an Echo Show. The Echo Shows supplied by K4Connect don’t just emerge from the box. The devices operate on the K4Community platform, built on the company's FusionOS operating-system. K4Community provides customized features depending on the community’s needs, and staff can analyze health insurance and other data shared by residents.
“When we started talks, their need brought to mind our partnership with Amazon with Echo Dots,” K4Connect chief growth office Keith Stewart told Voicebot, referring to the company’s distribution of more than 8,000 Echo Dot smart speakers donated by Amazon to retirement communities on the west coast. “Deploying at scale inside a crisis and then providing enterprise management and support is what K4Connect brings.”
“What really sold it is these were offering support for one year, therefore if staff had a question or problem, they might get help,” Messer said. “Nobody else was offering that.”
Assisting at Assisted Living
NCALA decided on the Echo Shows partly because Messer and her team felt the screen and visual elements may be easier for older residents to learn to use. In terms of how the residents will use the smart display, Messer said the primary purpose would be virtual visitations, which is a part of why the smart displays come in the most popular area. Configuring it that way also eliminates any possibility of accidental purchases or sharing of private details. The smart displays can have off recommendations for apps and skills the residents might like too. There's already evidence the devices can be helpful. Project Zilver and Voice for Loneliness have both published studies showing how voice assistants can be comforting companions, along with keeping people connected by phone and video calls.
“Being able to request songs and music is definitely very popular, as is trivia,” Stewart said. “Hallway singalongs will also be extremely popular and just general questions and answers. I often prefer to demonstrate to them funny things, things that make new friends and get them interested. I’m excited to determine what it does for people's spirits.”
The smart displays is going to be spread out towards the communities in line with the number of residents, with a fairly even split between individuals with a maximum of six residents and those using more than seven. More populated communities will naturally be the first to get more than a single Echo Show. After gathering enough data how residents are utilizing the devices and how they are helping them, Messer intends to return to the legislators and push for expanding the grant and the program.
“Case the initial plan,” Messer said. “We are likely to return to the overall Assembly to ask for more. They like numbers, and I like showing them numbers. We'll convey more coming. I’d want to see an Echo Show in every resident’s room who wants it.”
