Selection of reassurance products and services depends on whether they can provide peace of mind to everyone, the senior included. For the Care Hub 1 users, false inactivity is definitely a cause for concern when the senior’s activities are not being registered. This could happen if the senior is away from home or simply not using Alexa during the monitoring period. The caregiver may have to spend more time than necessary to investigate the situation as a result. This is usually why people give up on technology, when it is giving them more trouble than it is worth.
CareRinger is a full-service provider, providing inactivity monitoring and notification using its patent method. Following is a comparison between the two products.
Exchange of consents according to instructions for the Care Hub app
| Care Hub | CareRinger | |
|---|---|---|
| Family member involvement | The Care Hub is a one-to-one relationship between a family member and their loved one | Support many-to-many relationship, allow for sharing of responsibilities |
| Inactivity trigger | No Echo events from any activities at home at the time specified.
|
At home or away from home, whenever check-in call is not answered.
|
| Other check-in options | N/A | Choice of calling the CareRinger system, or using Alexa voice commands, or using the CareRinger tap light button to check-in early |
| Inactivity notification | Care Hub generated notification message sent to the caregiver’s smart phone | Choice of phone call, text message and Email to one or more trusted contact, or send alarm to a partnering call center to follow up |
| Equipment | Smart phone, Echo device, Amazon account, Alexa App | Landline phone, smart phone or VoIP phone |
| Set-up | Complete sign-up forms | |
| On-going support | N/A | Email, telephone support, etc. |
| Maintenance | Self-serve | N/A |
Although CareRinger requires the seniors answer their daily call, the call is not obtrusive. In fact, the call let them know that “since they have answered the call, their designated contact will not be notified.” This is a reassuring message, something the Care Hub is not providing.
About the author: Henry is a former-telecommunications professional, now attending to the needs of elderly people. For years, he has been teaching senior-friendly technologies in his local communities. He is an inventor and Founder of CareRinger, Inc., and holds patents on methods that apply to his service.
CareRinger is a Dementia-Friendly Organization
