How to use Amazon’s Alexa Care Hub

Alexa Care center is now live, giving older users and users with special needs have better access to family members and caregivers via Echo devices. With Care Hub, these users can ask Alexa for help directly, which will trigger the device to notify connected family members – or their family members can use it to virtually check on loved ones by getting a general idea of ​​the last time they used their Echo device to do something.

How to set up Care Hub

To use Amazon Care Hub, both family members will need an Amazon account. For the sake of our example, let’s say we’re trying to configure Care Hub so that someone can check to see if an elderly family member is present. Kids will need an Alexa-powered smart device in their home, like an Echo speaker, and the family member looking to help them will need a smartphone or tablet with the Alexa app. installed.

Once everyone has set up the necessary accounts and hardware, you will need to link these accounts through Care Hub.

1. Open the Alexa app then go to “Care Hub” tab, or use the Care Hub webpage.
2. Click on “To start,” then select “provide support.”
3. Send the invitation link to your loved one through a messaging app or their email address.
4. Have them click on the link and follow the instructions, including signing in with their Amazon account.
5. After you complete the steps, you will receive another invitation link sent to your Amazon account email address.
6. Open the link and select “To start.”
7. If the process worked, your Amazon accounts are now linked in Care Hub.

Now that the accounts are linked, you can configure emergency contact information, configure daily updates, perform checks, and more.

Record with Alexa voice call or drop-in features

If your family member’s Amazon device is configured to allow drop-ins, you can say “Alexa, call [device name]»To start a two-way conversation at any time. Likewise, you or the other user can say “Alexa, call [contact name/phone number]”To call them on their phone or other Alexa-enabled devices.

Edit emergency contact information

1. Open the Alexa app on the other family member’s phone or tablet.
2. Select the “More” tab from the bottom menu.
3. Tap “Learn more” then go to Care Hub> Emergency contact.
4. Tap “Modify emergency contact” and change it to desired contact information.

To alert an emergency contact: Your family member can say “Alexa, call my emergency contact” or “Alexa, call for help” and Alexa will immediately call, send an SMS and send a push notification to your devices.

See your loved one’s daily activity

1. To go to the “Care Hub” menu in the Alexa app.
2. To select “View all activities.”
3. You’ll see a stream of “high-level” activity updates based on your loved one’s Alexa usage. For example, the thread will say Alexa was used “for entertainment” if your loved one asked their Echo device to play a song.

Receive Care Hub alerts based on your activity

1. Open the Care Hub section in the Alexa app.
2. To select “Alerts”
3. You can choose to receive alerts when the other user uses Alexa for the first time and if there is no activity at a certain time of day.
4. Tap “Save” to confirm your changes.

The problem in Amazon’s system is that the family member you are caring for might just not say anything to their Echo devices for some reason, which could trigger an alert if you set it up that way. But if you are prepared for some false positives, this can be helpful. And, again, you can always go see your loved one anytime to see how they’re doing if they haven’t asked Alexa for a while..