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of finding your way. 5. Get sound sleep
This command will only function if you There is no denying that quality sleep goes
purchase a smart plug for your bathroom out the window as we get older, but your
lights or a smart light and connect it to your voice assistant could help alleviate your
smart speaker using the corresponding sleepless woes. Ask it to play a guided
app. The same principle applies to sleep meditation, soothing music, or white/
activating security cameras, setting your brown noise, and slowly find yourself
air conditioner timer, or securing your slipping into a deep slumber.
front door. If this functionality grows on 6. Listen to Audiobooks
you, the next thing you know, you will have Alexa owners can choose from audiobook
revamped your home into a smart one. services, Audible and Kindle, while Google
3. Medication reminders Assistant-enabled speakers can play
Sometimes, taking the proper medications audiobooks bought from the Google Play
on time can mean the difference between Books app.
recovery and hospital admission. Having When you buy the book on Audible or
someone remind you to take your pills is a Google Play Books, ensure you are signed
genuine blessing. You can entrust this task into the same Amazon or Google account
to your voice assistant. For example, give you used to purchase the book on your
it instructions, like, “Alexa, remind me to smart speaker. Now, all you have to do is
take my cholesterol medicine every day at talk to your voice assistant, saying, “Read
1:30 pm.” <book title>”, and if you don’t want to listen
While humans can get wired up with to the prologue, “Skip to chapter one”.
other commitments, your voice assistant
remains fool-proof, never faltering. And the Are voice assistants privy to all your
best part? You can also set pill reminders conversations?
for your husband or wife (or any other
family member) in the same way. Just be
prepared when your spouse claims Alexa
does a better job giving reminders than you
do!
4. Remember important dates
You can’t always blame missed
anniversaries, birthdays that slipped by,
and your granddaughter’s wiped-out-
from-memory Christmas party on forgetful Companies claim that voice assistants
follies of ageing. So, before you land in the come alive only when you use their
middle of earth-shattering drama, ask your respective wake words. But not everyone is
voice assistant to save the date. Pro tip: buying that story. For all you know, these
You’ll be better off setting two reminders— devices could be incessantly listening for
one for the day itself and another for the marketers to use that information to amp
day before (you know, just in case). up their advertising efforts.
Set these important reminders like you’d Say, you give them the benefit of the
do for medication (point above). doubt and agree that the devices only
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #57 | MARCH 2024 35
