Alexa Care Hub: How to check in with older parents

Amazon has rolled out the Care Hub, a set of Alexa features that you can use to remotely register older parents in their homes. This could be particularly useful during COVID-19, when many people are not able to visit loved ones as often as they usually do. Care Hub is free and easy to set up – your parent just needs an Alexa device.

With Care Hub, Alexa can send you alerts when your loved one first uses their Echo device each morning or if they don’t use the device for a certain period of time. You’ll also have access to an activity feed where you can see an overview of their Alexa activity. (Amazon pointed out that this was designed for privacy – you can see the types of activities your parent is doing, but you can’t see things like the instructions they give Alexa or the songs or podcasts. specifics that they listen to.)

Plus, Care Hub gives your loved one an easy way to set up your Amazon account as an emergency contact. This means that if they say “Alexa, call for help,” Alexa will call you, send you a text message, and send you a push notification. If you see something about yourself, you can also use the Drop In feature (which temporarily uses their Echo device as a two-way intercom) to check in.

To get started with Care Hub, go to the Amazon Care Hub home page and click “Get Started” or the “Care Hub” section of the Alexa app. Alexa will ask you if you want to provide or receive support; let him know you want to support.

You will see an invitation link; send this link to your loved ones and tell them to follow the instructions. (The process involves signing in with their Amazon account, creating a profile, and filling out a short form. If they get lost, Amazon has a guide you can use to guide them.)

Eventually, you will receive an invitation email from your loved one – it will go to the address associated with your Amazon account. Click the “Get Started” link in that email, and you’re there.