By the end of the month, more than 1,400 Amazon Echo Show 8 devices will have been delivered to senior living communities in North Carolina, thanks to a federal grant.
January 20, 2021
By: Kimberly Bonvissuto
The North Carolina Assisted Living Association was awarded a state grant funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help assisted living communities curb social isolation and facilitate safe visitation through technology. NCALA is partnering with K4Connect, a Raleigh, NC-based technology company, to bring the technology to every assisted living and family care home community in the state by Jan. 31.
The grant objective is to provide senior living residents and staff with technology that assists in three key areas: mental wellbeing, social isolation and virtual visitation.
Spring Arbor Senior Living launched voice capabilities last year across its North Carolina communities with Amazon Echo Dots. Spring Harbor Senior Vice President of Senior Living Rich Williams said it will place the Echo Show devices in its wellness areas and cafes.
“Partnering with K4Connect allows us to seamlessly scale the delivery and deployment of over 1,400 Amazon Echo Show devices to communities in need,” NCALA President and CEO Frances Messer said. “It is incredibly exciting to bring these resources to assisted living communities that continue to work so hard to provide the best care possible for the thousands of older adults in North Carolina.”
With the Echo Show, residents can video chat with family and friends, stay engaged through voice and touch-accessible entertainment options, and engage with technologies that provide utility in daily life.
“Our enterprise management capabilities enable us to safely deliver, deploy and support these devices at scale, getting them into the hands of communities quickly with absolute minimal impact on staff to manage setup and onboarding,” K4Connect Chief Growth Officer Keith Stewart said.