How to use Alexa Care Hub to control elderly relatives?

Amazon has launched Care Center, a set of Alexa features you can use to remotely control elderly relatives in their home. This can be especially helpful during COVID-19, when many people are not able to visit their relatives as often as they usually do. Care Hub is free and easy to set up – your relative only needs an Alexa device.

Through the Care Hub, Alexa can send you alerts every morning when your relative uses their Echo device for the first time or if they haven’t used the device until a certain time. You will also have access to an activity feed where you can see an overview of Alexa activities. (Amazon stressed that this was designed with privacy in mind—you can see the types of activities your relative does, but not things like the instructions they give Alexa or the specific songs or podcasts they’re listening to.)

In addition, Care Hub gives your relative 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, text you and send you a push notification. You can also use Drop In (which temporarily uses the Echo device as a two-way intercom) to check in if you see something about yourself.

Go to Amazon to start using Care Hub Care Center home page and click “Get Started” or “Care Hub” in the Alexa app. Alexa will ask if you want to provide or receive support; Let them know you want to provide support.

You will see an invite link; send this link to your relative and tell them to follow the instructions. (The process includes signing in with their Amazon account, creating a profile, and filling out a short form. If they go missing, Amazon has a guide You can use it to go over it.)

Finally, 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 this email and you’re ready.