CareRinger started as a service to provide daily calls for seniors to stay in touch with their caregivers, friends and family members. Those of you who have used it for a number of years may appreciate the simplicity of the unobtrusive telephone calls. You may have also found the early check-in function handy at times. Without making CareRinger overly complicated, this option allows you to check-in in advance of the next check-up call, so you don’t have to wait to answer the call.
This year, I have introduced voice commands using the Echo device from Amazon*. I have helped some of you who own an Echo to set up the device and add the CareRinger Companion. I believe the Echo is a senior-friendly device, so much so that you will see me teaching about it and how to use it with Careringer in my Connectivity@Home class in the New Year. Please join us to refresh your CareRinger skill and share your experience. Bring a friend too!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who referred the service to others. It means a great deal to me that CareRinger has been a useful service for our community members. For the past 5 years, I have been teaching at the Goebel Adult Community Center as a senior volunteer and recently at Simi Valley Senior Center. Once in a while, I schedule a class specific to CareRinger to provide information and to help with the sign-up. Please take note of their newsletters and flyers. If you know any senior advocates or case managers at Senior Concerns, you can also ask these professionals to help you get started. Recently, someone from Michigan asked me to provide the service for her mom in Simi Valley after talking to Senior Concerns. If you like the service, please support this great organization as another way to pay it forward. And of course, I am also always personally available to help explain the service and assist with sign-up.
CareRinger is evolving every year, and with the help of the CareRinger community’s feedback, it is only going to get better. Thank you to everyone who emailed me to raise issues with the notification calls which helped me identify the issue. I am always looking for more communications about your experience and suggestions to continue to improve the service.
We do have a growing aging population in this country. With your help, I believe the service will continue to grow to serve the need for telephone reassurance. My best wishes to all of you, and peace to your family and friends in the upcoming Holiday Season.
*Amazon and Echo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
