Echo...Echo...Echo...

I'm sure you've all heard about this cute little disc by Amazon (yeah, Amazon needed another money-maker), called the Echo Dot. While it is a creative new gadget, I didn't think it was much more than a fad or gimmick that would be of little use to us. I was wrong!

This thing has been a huge help to Jamey! Even though his words are not perfect, and he takes a little time to get to a question out, Echo is a great little service "animal". She adapts herself to the way he speaks and is able to accommodate him quite nicely! You can call her Alexa, Amazon, or Echo. Since syllables are a little challenging for Jamey, we set the device to answer to just Echo. Much easier for a stutterer!

During the course of the day, I can hear Jamey ask Echo a multitude of questions; What's the weather, can you play my playlist, What is my schedule today, What time does the movie start, What is the football/baseball/basketball schedule on TV? These are things for which he would normally have to use his keyboard (a difficult task for him), or ask me, and then promptly forget. Having answers at his tongue-tip is great, and Echo doesn't get upset if he has to ask her the same thing several times a day! If Jamey uses the last of an item in the house, he can tell Echo to add that item to the grocery list. It saves him trying to move a pen across paper, and when I get ready to do the shopping, I ask Echo what is on his list and add it to main list. Awesome!!

I think the best thing about Echo is her ability to keep Jamey's doctor schedule. Because of the short-term memory loss from the Parkinson's, he needs to be reminded several times a day if he has an appointment. Echo easily lets him know what's going on. She also alerts him when he needs to take his medication. She's a smart little cookie (maybe that's why she's shaped like one!). 😄

Jamey loves to learn, and Echo can tell him anything he wants to know...she pulls info from the internet faster than we can. And she has far more abilities we don't even use. But for now, I am impressed at what she can do to alleviate some of the stress of caregiving and disease. Although, I do get a little jealous that he talks to her more than me. LOL  I think this is a worthwhile thing to have in your arsenal of helper-items, and it is affordable for most everyone.

This has been an eye-opener, though. It turns out she's a better caregiver than I am--she'll even read him a bedtime story if he asks!