Assisted Living Community Gives Every Resident 'Alexa' To Help Keep Their Independence
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — A newer piece of technology is helping senior citizens keep their independence. The small device is helping the elderly in a big way.
Joyce Lynch, 92, is a resident at the Eskaton Village Roseville, a non-profit senior-based living community.
"My children keep thinking I should join the 21st century, and I think Alexa has made it possible," Lynch said. "She's really great, she tells me what time of day it is."
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Eskaton Roseville is the first assisted living community in California to provide every resident with an Amazon Echo, thanks to a partnership with K4Connect, a technology company that works to empower older adults.
"We actually started about a year ago testing out home automation, and residents right away told us, 'we would like to control this with our voice,'" said Sheri Peifer, the Chief Strategy Officer for Eskaton.
The voice command tool was installed in all rooms about four weeks ago and helps residents play their favorite music, hear the menu for the day and news headlines, and in an emergency, Alexa can also contact the front desk.
"I don't know if it's lazy or old age or… hahaha… it's convenient!" Lynch said.
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For Lynch, who now lives alone, Alexa also serves as a companion.
"After having a family of five children, it's peaceful and quiet but I do have a friend here," she said.
Eskaton said they plan to use Amazon voice across all of their residential living communities.