Voice Assistants and Elderly Care – The New Pathway for Marketers

Technology is empowering our lives for good and elder care isn’t untouched with its influence. However, the baby-boomer generation may find it quite hard to utilize the true potential of advanced devices coupled with smart applications that can make aging less difficult.

When we talk about voice assistants, elderly adults could do several tasks and that too with a voice command. Whether it is the information stuff or the need to adjust the room temperature and lighting, everything could be done through a voice assistant.

Technology is not just limited to the tech enthusiasts rather empowering the older adults as well. Here’s how smart voice systems could enhance elderly care in the coming years.

What are the Possibilities with Voice Technology?

Smart devices leveraging voice technology like Amazon Alexa and Google Home have already provided enough possibilities for elderly individuals. Many third-party applications are capable of assisting people to send messages or emails to their beloved ones with a message like- “I am completely fine” with just a voice command.

During a fall or slip, the elderly can inform the concerned acquaintance. It is quite easy for the adults to send an emergency message to the relatives without the need to call them or text. Apart from this, the family members could also be stress-free regarding the fact that their loved ones are completely fine and they can monitor their health from a distance as well.

The voice technology perfectly eliminates the fear of envisioning the elderly parents lying helpless before any kind of help arrives. Furthermore, a device powered by a voice recognition engine could make seniors feel special as they can set reminders, note things, and even command these devices to play their favorite songs.

The Expectations from the Voice Assistive Technology

It is crucial to first emphasize the actual needs of the elderly before we conclude that voice assistance could be a solution up to a great extent. The primary needs of seniors include functional, emotional, and physical needs. Wherein functional needs include those activities that involve independent living, nutritional needs, safety, transporting, and communication.

On the other hand, the emotional needs of the elderly could be considered fulfilling through voice assistants as well as through assistive robots. A well-programmed assistant empowered by artificial intelligence and machine learning could be a good option for improving care and monitoring for the ones who are facing issues in their daily chores.

Challenges including -limited mobility, minimum communication, and unusual behavior require an abundance of patience of the caregiver. This is the perfect area where technology could lend a hand in being a virtual caregiver by answering all the queries and that too again and again.

Why Voice?

With the rise of affordable voice assistants in the market, consumers have already shown great interest in trying their hands on portable devices that contribute to improving living. An individual need not poke their spouse or caregiver for basic tasks including adjusting the room temperature or switching off the lights. These tasks otherwise become quite challenging for older adults, who can now rely on smart technology for the same.

Since voice-first technology is emerging as the new game-changer, it surely aids senior care in ways that can increase reliability on virtual assistants more than ever. It is perhaps the easiest way to communicate and hardly requires any technical knowledge unlike using a smartphone.

How Marketers could Create Strategies for the Elderly using Voice Search?

For all those strategists that are planning for the right way to utilize the true potential of voice technology for enhancing eldercare; ensure what you need to accomplish. Yes, one should have a clear idea about the things that your audience is expecting through voice. Once you are aware of the aspects that you need to consider, you can efficiently work on strategies.

Analyzing an individual’s routine and their ability to take medications on time, time to complete certain tasks of the daily chores, ability to control home appliances, and locking & unlock doors are some of the areas that shouldn’t miss.

These are perhaps the areas that can be considered by the marketers for accomplishing customer goals by invoking the potential of technology.

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