How can Alexa Help the Elderly? (The 8 Features & Skills)

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Alexa is an intelligent companion and an ideal gadget to keep older adults informed, entertained, and connected with their loved ones.

If you wonder how can Alexa help the elderly? This article highlights some of the best Alexa features and skills for the elderly.

Let us find out.

What can Alexa do for seniors – 8 Best Features & Skills

Alexa comes with many pre-installed features but can also add additional features. These features are called “Skills” and are the same as “apps” for smartphones.

You are required to “enable” a skill before you can use it. You can enable a skill by asking “Alexa, enable the <skill name>” or using the Alexa app.

Open the Alexa app and tap on Menu (3 horizontal lines at the top left corner)
Tap on the Skills & Games option in the drop-down menu
Tap the Search option (magnifying glass icon) to search for the skill. You can alternatively explore skills from Categories or Discover options. There are around 150,000 skills to choose from.
Tap on the skill and tap Enable to Use to enable it

Once the skill is enabled, you can use it at any time.

1: Play Games and Puzzles

With over 5,000 games available, Alexa can turn any night into a fun and engaging game night. Its vast collection includes Group Games, Trivia, Quizzes, Puzzles, and even popular TV Game Show games.

Here are some senior-friendly game categories to explore.

I have shared my favorite Alexa games for seniors. You can play games on your Echo Show, Echo Dot, FireTV, or any other Alexa device.

Explore the full Alexa games collection and discover the best options for you.

2: Call for Help/ Alert Others in Emergency

You can use your Alexa device to call for help if you fall or face any other unexpected situation. There are 3 ways to use Alexa to call for help in any emergency.

– Using Alexa Emergency Contact

Once your emergency contact is set up, you can use a simple voice commands like “Alexa, call for help” or “Alexa, call my emergency contact” or simply “Alexa, help”. Use the following steps to set up your emergency contact using the Alexa app.

Tap the Communication on the bottom navigation bar of the Alexa app.
Tap on the Contact icon (two people icon at the upper right corner).
Open the triple dot menu at the upper right corner
Select Emergency Contact and follow the prompts to select an existing contact or add a new one

– Using “Ask My Buddy” Skill

Ask My Buddy lets you request help using just your voice. By creating a personal alert network, you can notify one or all of your selected contacts in case of an emergency.

Simply choose a family member or friend as your “buddy” and say, “Alexa, ask My Buddy to send help.”

How to Set Up Ask My Buddy on Alexa:

Register at AskMyBuddy. The free plan allows up to 5 buddies.
Enable the Ask My Buddy skill in the Alexa app:
- Open the Alexa app
- Go to Menu > Skills & Games
- Search for “Ask My Buddy” and enable the skill
Follow the setup instructions to add contacts and complete registration.

How to Use Ask My Buddy:

To alert a specific contact: “Alexa, ask My Buddy to alert [name].”
To notify all contacts: “Alexa, ask My Buddy to alert everyone.”

This skill is a great way for seniors to stay connected and request help when needed.

– Using Alexa Together

Alexa Together is a subscription service designed to provide 24/7 support for seniors, ensuring they can get help in an emergency.

It’s a great way to assist elderly loved ones remotely while staying informed about their well-being.

Once set up, seniors can simply say, “Alexa, call for help,” to connect with an urgent-response agent within seconds.

Key Features of Alexa Together:

Customized Alerts – Get notified when your loved one first interacts with Alexa each day.
24/7 Urgent Help – Hands-free access to trained agents for immediate assistance.
Remote Support – Family members can join a circle of support to help from afar.
Fall Alert – If a compatible device detects a fall, Alexa notifies emergency contacts and calls for help.
Photo Sharing – Share and relive memories with loved ones by sending photos through Alexa.

With Alexa Together, seniors can maintain independence while having instant access to help when needed.

Read More: Refer to the Using Alexa to Monitor Elderly Parents article for a complete review of Alexa Together and Alert My Buddy

3: Do the Basic Math

Seniors no longer need a calculator for everyday math—Alexa can handle basic addition, subtraction, division, and more with simple voice commands.

Here are a few examples:

“Alexa, what’s [number 1] plus [number 2]?”
“Alexa, what’s [number 1] times [number 2]?”
“Alexa, convert [number] degrees Fahrenheit to Celsius.”
“Alexa, what’s the square root of [number]?”

Beyond math, Alexa can also help with spelling and word definitions, making it a convenient tool for daily tasks. With just a voice command, seniors can get quick answers—no calculator or dictionary needed!

4: Video Calls/ Drop-ins

If you are wondering what can Alexa do for the elderly to keep them connected? Alexa makes it easy for older adults to keep in touch with family and friends through calls, messages, and even video calls.

Devices like Echo Show and Echo Spot come with screens, allowing seniors to use the “Drop-In” feature for instant video calls. Once enabled, the person on the other end must grant permission for drop-ins.

To start a video call, simply say:
“Alexa, drop in on [name].”

With Alexa, staying connected has never been easier!

How to Enable and Use the Drop-In Feature on Alexa

Follow these steps to set up Drop-In for easy video calls on Alexa devices like Echo Show:

Step 1: Enable the Drop-In Skill

Open the Alexa app and tap on Menu > Skills & Games.
Tap the Search icon (magnifying glass).
Type “Drop-In” in the search bar and select Enable Skill.

Step 2: Allow Drop-In Calls

In the Alexa app, tap Communicate (chat bubble at the bottom).
Select Contacts.
Tap My Communication Settings and toggle Allow Drop In to enable it.

That’s it! Now, you can easily make and receive Drop-In video calls.

For more details, check out my article on Echo Show Drop-In for Seniors, along with a step-by-step guide to setting up a new Echo Show for your parents.

5: Get News and Weather Updates

Alexa makes it easy to stay informed with the latest news and weather updates—no TV or newspaper required!

Whether you prefer live news from CBS or a flash briefing from BBC, Alexa keeps you in the loop.

You can listen to local news, national headlines, and breaking stories from top sources like CNN, Reuters, BBC, Fox News, and more.

To set your preferred news source:

Open the Alexa app.
Go to Menu > Settings > News.
Select your favorite channel.

Here are some of the voice command examples to get you the latest edition of the news.

“Alexa, what’s in the news today?”
“Alexa, play Flash Briefing.”
“Alexa, play news from CNN/USA Today/BBC.”
“Alexa, enable Fox News notifications.”
“Alexa, play Seattle News.”

Before heading out, get the latest weather conditions with Alexa’s built-in forecast feature. For more detailed reports, enable the Big Sky skill.

“Alexa, what’s the weather outside?”
“Alexa, what is the humidity level/UV index?”
“Alexa, will it rain tomorrow?”
“Alexa, ask Big Sky for the weekend forecast.”
“Alexa, what’s the weather in [city/state] on Sunday?”
“Alexa, will it rain in the next 6 hours?”

With just a voice command, seniors can stay updated on news and weather anytime!

6: Unlimited Entertainment

Alexa offers music, audiobooks, TED Talks, podcasts, radio, videos, and movies—all at your voice command!

Whether you love classic tunes, engaging podcasts, or blockbuster movies, Alexa has something for everyone.

🎵 Amazon Music – 100+ million ad-free songs
🎵 Podcasts from Apple Music, Spotify, Audible, iHeartRadio, and more

When it comes to videos and movies, Amazon Prime Videos gives you access to the best of Hollywood, documentaries, comedy classics, and more.

7: Home Safety Features

Alexa comes with home safety features to help keep your home safe when you are away. Here are 2 of our favorite Alexa features for home safety.

– Alexa Guard

Using this feature, Alexa can detect the sound of an alarm (fire alarm/ burglar alarm) or breaking glass (if someone breaks into the house through windows).

How to Set Up Alexa Guard

Open the Alexa app and tap Devices (bottom right).
Select Guard > Tap Learn More to begin setup.
If you have Alexa-enabled smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors, tap Add (or press Later if you don’t have them).
Optional: Set up home lighting automation to turn lights on/off when you’re away.
Tap Confirm to complete setup.

Once Alexa Guard is setup

Say “Alexa, I’m leaving” to activate.
Say “Alexa, I’m home” to disable.

– The Burglar Deterrent Skill

The Burglar Deterrent Skill helps seniors protect their homes by playing realistic household sounds to create the illusion that someone is inside.

The Burglar Deterrent Skill keeps working until you ask “Alexa, stop”. To set the skill, do as follows.

Open the Alexa app and go to Menu > Skills & Games
Tap on the Search option (magnifying glass icon on the top right)
Type in burglar deterrent to search
Find the skill and tap on Enable Skill button

Once the skill is enabled, you can use it by voice commands like.

“Alexa, open the burglar deterrent”
“Alexa, tell the burglar deterrent to sound like a guard dog”

If you are looking into what can Alexa do for seniors to keep their homes safe, try the above security feature and skill and you will be amazed by Alexa’s capabilities.

8: Alexa Features to Counter Forgetfulness

Forgetfulness is a natural part of aging, but Alexa offers simple and effective solutions to help seniors stay organized and independent.

Here are some of the Alexa features that can make daily life easier.

– Reminders

Alexa can remind seniors about important tasks, appointments, and daily routines.

💬 Voice Commands:

“Alexa, remind me to take my diabetes medicine at 7 PM.”
“Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 15 minutes.”
“Alexa, remind me to drink water at 6 PM every day.”
“Alexa, what are my reminders?” (to check upcoming reminders)

Alexa announces reminders twice when they’re due.

– Lists

Alexa makes it easy to create and manage to-do lists, shopping lists, and reminders.

💬 Voice Commands:

“Alexa, make a grocery list.”
“Alexa, add tomatoes to my grocery list.”
“Alexa, what’s on my to-do list today?”
“Alexa, delete toothpaste from my shopping list.”

Why It Helps: No more forgetting groceries or important errands!

– Brain and Memory Games

Keeping the brain active is important for memory and cognitive function. Alexa offers puzzles, trivia, and memory games to keep seniors engaged.

🎮 Popular Games:

How to Access: Open the Alexa app > Menu > Skills & Games.

– Find Your Phone

It is common for seniors to lose their TV remote or phone. If you forget where you kept your phone, simply ask “Alexa, find my phone” and your phone will ring.

You can follow the ringtone to find your phone.

Some of the other Alexa features to help combat forgetfulness include:

Calendar: Maintain a calendar to never skip important dates.
Memories: Store your “memories” in the form of photos and connect them to your past every now and then.
Ask Alexa: When you forget something, ask Alexa for help. Sometimes we forget and can’t seem to remember the obvious things like who played the lead role in Titanic or what’s the name of our state governor.

Alexa never gets annoyed with repetitive questions.

I hope you have good ideas on how can Alexa help the elderly?

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Sohail Ahmed

I love helping seniors with technology. This blog features apps, games, gadgets, technology tips, and tutorials for older adults … Know More