Rehabbing with the Echo Show 5

Post date: Apr 10, 2020 9:02:49 PM

I had my left knee replaced in mid-February and spent a week at Deery Suites. I had spent a week there in December with the right knee and got rather anxious and depressed with the pain and felt lonely. I wanted to have a more positive experience this time. So, after getting settled in, I asked Mike to bring my Echo Show 5 down and then one of the IT staff from Western Home, also named Mike, helped to get it on their network. We put it on my nightstand, and it provided three things during my stay:

Comfort: I listened to classical piano and ambient music to help relax and prepare for sleep, or when I was in pain and alone, feeling blue.

Control: I was able to “chat” with Alexa, and both distract myself and feel more of a sense of control over the environment. Even in the bathroom, while waiting for an aide to come help me, I could ask Alexa a question or ask for music and take my mind off the pain.

Convenience: I listened to news, music, and my books on Kindle. Since all I needed was my voice, I could activate the device from anywhere in the room. While I watched TV, I liked listening to my kindle books or music to relax.

While I planned to do video chats with the echo, I really didn’t feel up to it until towards the end. However, that would have been a valuable way to communicate with my family. I could also have watched TV shows and movies on Amazon video on the device.

Overall, even though I was in a lot of pain, I felt the Echo Show helped me cope. I didn’t feel as helpless or lonely. Staff members were amused or intrigued as well, especially when I played the Jonas brothers’ music for one young lady. Others said they liked the piano music I played at night.

I would recommend the Amazon echo dot or echo show for others who are rehabbing from surgery or an illness. Since it requires nothing more than your voice and the use of the “wake” word (Alexa), it is ideally suited for people who do not use technology on a normal basis, as well as for those of us who are geeks.

Last updated April 10, 2020

This article also appeared in the Western Homes Communities April Journal

https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/8aa78e57/files/uploaded/WHC%20The%20Journal%20April%202020.pdf

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